China charges reporter with spying (Hong-Kong based reporter accused of spying for Taiwan)

AP on Bakersfield Californian ^ | 8/4/05 | AP - Beijing

[NormsRevenge]

BEIJING (AP) - A Hong-Kong based reporter has been charged with spying for Taiwan, the mainland Chinese government said Friday, accusing him of obtaining huge amounts of classified information under an alias.

Ching Cheong, a China correspondent for Singapore's Straits Times, was recruited by Taiwan's National Security Bureau in 2000 and "followed the instructions of the Taiwan intelligence and set up a number of channels for espionage in both Hong Kong and the island," the official Xinhua News Agency said.

Using the name Chen Yuanchun, he also bought "a great deal of information about China's political, economic and especially military affairs, including some classified as 'top-secret' or 'confidential,' and passed it to the Taiwan intelligence," the report said.

It was the first time the mainland government has released any specifics of Ching's case. He has been detained since April.

His wife, Mary Lau, did not immediately return phone calls by The Associated Press.

Xinhua said Ching, 55, was paid "several million Hong Kong dollars" and called his alleged actions "detrimental to the national security."

The report did not say what the next step in the case would be.

Officials at Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council - the Cabinet level body in charge of relations with China - were not available to comment because government offices were closed because of a typhoon.

Irene Ngoo, a spokeswoman for The Straits Times, said she had not seen reports on the charges and had no immediate comment.

The company has not received any information from Ching's family or the Chinese government, Ngoo said.

[NormsRevenge]

Ching Cheong, China chief correspondent of Singapore's Straits Times newspaper speaks in this undated file picture released by Straits Times on May 31, 2005. China formally arrested Hong Kong journalist Ching Cheong on August 5, 2005 on a charge of spying for rival Taiwan, the official Xinhua news agency said. If charged and convicted, Ching could face the death penalty. Ching's detention in April had sparked fears in Hong Kong that Beijing was tightening its noose over media freedom in the former British colony, which reverted to Chinese rule in 1997. SINGAPORE OUT NO ARCHIVE NO SALES REUTERS/Straits Times/File

[NormsRevenge]

Ching Cheong Ping

[Avenger]

"Ching's detention in April had sparked fears in Hong Kong that Beijing was tightening its noose over media freedom in the former British colony..."

Is he really a spy or is the PRC just trying to cover their arses after pulling "Fidel" on a journalist they didn't care for?

[Jeff Head]

But...but, Taiwan is supposed to be a part of the People's Republic. If you believe this, then the man was actually spying for Red China and therefore should be a Hero of the People's Republic.