Taiwan ex-colonel gets 20 years for spying for China

BBC News:

A retired Taiwan air force colonel has been jailed 20 years for running a military spy ring for China.

Liu Sheng-shu was convicted of recruiting other active-duty officers to transmit military secrets to Beijing.

Five other officers – from the navy and air force – were jailed from six months to 20 years for their involvement.

Local media reports say Liu was recruited during a 2013 business trip to China.

He reportedly ran a network of informants, paying them through shell companies.

Prosecutors said that he was paid for passing on military intelligence, such as details on the functions of airplanes and warships.

Apart from his jail sentence, authorities confiscated NT$16.7m (£425,000; $514,000) which they said were illicit earnings.