Government Harbors Mainland Spies: President Lai Seeks Only to Smooth Things Over
United Daily News Commentary, September 26, 2025
Wu Shang-yu, former staff consultant at the Office of the President, and Ho Jen-chieh, aide to then-Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu, were among those implicated in a mainland Chinese espionage case. In the first trial, they were sentenced to prison terms ranging from four to ten years. The ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has long accused opposition parties of being “pro-China,” yet it has now become a breeding ground for mainland Chinese spies. To date, neither the Office of the President, the Executive Yuan, nor the DPP has offered an official explanation or public apology for the spy case, a double standard that the public finds hard to accept.
For years, the DPP has brandished the banner of “resist China to protect Taiwan,” frequently labeling opposition parties as “pro-China” for political gain. Yet, as it turns out, the enemy was within. Defendants Wu, Ho, Huang Chu-jung (assistant to DPP New Taipei City Councilor Lee Yu-tien), and Chiu Shih-yuan (former deputy director of the DPP’s Democracy Academy) were all handed heavy sentences in the espionage case. The verdict explicitly stated that Mr. Wu and others, while long holding party or public positions, aided Beijing’s “three warfares”—legal, public opinion, and psychological—further worsening Taiwan’s already difficult diplomatic situation.
The Legislative Yuan once invited Joseph Wu, now secretary-general of the National Security Council (NSC), to deliver a special report on “mainland Chinese spy infiltration.” However, Wu refused to attend, citing constitutional grounds. Even during legislative reviews of the NSC’s budget, which are legally justified, Secretary-General Wu declined to appear before lawmakers, missing an opportunity to explain the espionage case to both the opposition and the people.
Communist China’s political warfare, threats, and infiltration against Taiwan are growing increasingly severe, and safeguarding national security is a responsibility that transcends party lines. In June, the Executive Yuan launched a major national security investigation targeting more than 1,000 individuals, including chiefs of staff and senior personnel from ministries and agencies, as well as related confidential staff and contractors, who may be involved in issues concerning national security or vital interests.
Yet when it comes to its own members implicated in the spy case, the DPP has kept unusually “low-profile.” The Office of the President’s response has been consistent: it avoids commenting on specific cases or political figures, while stressing that anyone who betrays the nation and engages in infiltration or united front activities should face the harshest punishment. Regardless of party affiliation or position, justice must be served without leniency.
During the judicial investigation, it was understandable that the administration of President Lai Ching-te chose to respect the process. But now that the first trial has concluded, the Office of the President, Executive Yuan, NSC, President Lai, and Secretary-General Wu all have a duty to explain the matter publicly, clarify doubts, and demonstrate a firm stance toward DPP officials involved in the case. If they continue to sweep it under the rug as before, then not only will public dissatisfaction grow, but the government’s credibility will also be at stake.