Taiwanese Spy Arrested Attempting To Steal Missile Secrets

A Taiwanese businessman, accused of spying for Communist China, has been arrested after attempting to obtain classified information on the Patriot Missile. After admitting to these facts, the man, Lai Kunjie, disclosed that another highly-placed spy has infiltrated Taiwan’s government.

Radio Taiwan International reported on June 14 that Taiwan’s Bureau of Investigation investigated 35-year-old Lai Kunjie for over a year. Lai originally worked in Taiwan as a software engineer for Motorola and was later transferred to Beijing as a product manager, moving his family there as well. Afterwards, he left Motorola and then began work for the computer company Lenovo.

While working for the multinational company, Lai became socially acquainted with Li Xu, a deputy director of Beijing City’s Taiwan Affairs Office. Li hired him in Feb. 2010, to return to Taiwan to pry into military affairs and seek classified information.

Lai was not known to have a military background or connections, so the investigation to uncover a possible accomplice will continue, according to a Defense Ministry spokesman.

Lai Kunjie admitted to spying for China during the investigation, saying that had he not cooperated with the Chinese request, he would not have been able to stay in mainland. Lai even revealed that he had heard there was a high level officer who was hired as a communist spy who was much more potentially harmful than he might have been.

In Jan. 2011, Major General Lo Hsien-che was charged with passing military secrets to China for $150,000. Military prosecutors are seeking life imprisonment. This case has led to increased efforts to strengthen security within Taiwan’s military.

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