‘UNITED FRONT’:
The married couple allegedly produced talk show videos for platforms such as Facebook and YouTube to influence Taiwanese politics.

• By Lin Yi-chang and Jason Pan / Staff Reporters

A husband and wife affiliated with the China Unification Promotion Party (CUPP) were charged yesterday with allegedly receiving NT$74 million (US$2.32 million) from China for radio propaganda and digital media to promote the Chinese government’s political agenda and influence the outcome of the Taiwan election. elections.

Chang Meng-chung (張孟崇) and his wife, Hung Wen-ting (洪文婷), allegedly received a total of NT$74 million from China between 2021 and last year to promote candidates favored by Beijing, contravening the Anti-Infiltration Law (反滲透).法) and electoral laws, said the Chiayi District Prosecutor’s Office.

The pair acted as Beijing’s propaganda mouthpiece by disparaging Hong Kong democracy activists and Falun Gong groups in Taiwan, boasting about China’s military power and urging Taiwanese troops to surrender in the event of an invasion. according to the accusation.

Photo: CNA

A task force led by Chiayi Prosecutor Lin Chung-pin (林仲斌), in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice and the investigation offices of Chiayi City and Pingtung County, searched 24 locations and confiscated mobile phones, computers, financial records and other evidence, the office said. saying.

Judicial investigators said the couple received NT$74 million in total from China’s Taiwan Affairs Office (TAO) in Beijing and the TAO branch in China’s Fujian province.

Chang allegedly made current affairs videos and political talk shows for digital platforms including YouTube, Facebook, Douyin (抖音) and other public media websites to broadcast pro-Beijing propaganda content, prosecutors said.

In recent years, the couple attempted to influence this year’s legislative and presidential elections, the recall of a pan-Green legislator in 2022, referendums in 2021, such as on the ban of ractopamine, and the promotion of candidates and favored issues. by the Chinese government, prosecutors said.

“Hostile foreign forces have long taken advantage of our nation’s freedom, multi-party democracy, and open society with tolerance for different points of view,” the indictment said.

“Using ‘united front’ works, they attempted to infiltrate the nation and create social strife and division, spread disinformation, manipulate public opinion, and interfere in Taiwan’s elections, such as attempting to remove elected politicians and influence referendums,” the accusation says.