The government of the Republic of China does not want any secretly PRC soldiers in the ROC military. And it has concluded that if one is a soldier in its military, to express fealty to the government that is constantly swinging its fists at Taiwan should be a punishable offense (“Taiwanese law change targets military personnel with links to mainland China,” South China Morning Post, March 12, 2025).
The amendment, which is ready for cabinet consideration, includes prison sentences for expressing allegiance to Beijing….
Taiwanese military personnel who hold identity cards issued in mainland China will face more scrutiny and could spend up to seven years in jail if they express allegiance to Beijing, under changes to the island’s legal code.
Defence Minister Wellington Koo Li-hsiung said on Tuesday that the stricter measures were aimed at countering Beijing’s growing influence and espionage activities on the island….
“Since no previous legal provisions addressed this issue, the government is now explicitly incorporating it into Article 24 of the Criminal Code of the Armed Forces,” Koo said, adding that the legal framework had already undergone review and public consultation.
This seems to be the kind of law that must be enacted before people can know for sure what’s in it. “Once the law is formalised, its enforcement will be clearer,” Koo says.
After winning cabinet approval, the law must be approved by the legislature. Its support cannot be taken for granted in light of battles that have been waged there recently over legislative power and cuts in government spending, including cuts in the ROC’s Ministry of Defense budget.
