A Navy petty officer first class has been formally charged for allegedly leaking military intelligence to China in exchange for NT$170,000 (US$5,220), as reported by the Taiwan High Prosecutors Office on Tuesday.

The officer, identified by the surname Chen (陳), allegedly used his position at the Navy Recruit Training Center to clandestinely capture classified military personnel, training, and base information using a cellphone in Yilan and Pingtung counties between April 2022 and February 2023, according to prosecutors.

Prosecutors stated that Chen began sharing this information with a “Chinese business manager” named Zhang (張) upon the latter’s request via instant messaging tools like LINE and Telegram on four occasions since 2022.

Driven by financial pressures stemming from debt, Chen reportedly initiated these activities after meeting Zhang in an online loan group in 2022, prosecutors added.

Chen was indicted on June 24 under charges that include violations of the Criminal Code of the Armed Forces and the Anti-Corruption Act, according to the prosecutors’ office.

In response to the incident, the Ministry of National Defense (MND) highlighted the increasing threat posed by Chinese infiltration efforts, likening it to the severity of missile and naval attacks in recent years.

The case was brought to light during military security operations aimed at countering espionage, Major General Sun Li-fang (孫立方), MND spokesman, explained during a press briefing on Tuesday.

He underscored that the detection of numerous espionage cases reflects the efficacy of Taiwan’s efforts in counter-infiltration education.