By Steven Lee Myers and Chris Horton
The building listed as the address of China Innovation Investment Limited in Hong Kong on Saturday.
BEIJING — Taiwan has detained two executives of a Hong Kong-based company accused of acting as a front for Chinese intelligence agencies working to undercut democracy in Hong Kong and Taiwan, the official news agency there reported on Tuesday.
Taiwan’s justice ministry ordered the two executives, Xiang Xin and Kung Ching, to remain in Taiwan while investigators looked into the assertions of a defector in Australia that their company, China Innovation Investment Limited, acted on behalf of Chinese intelligence.
The defector, Wang Liqiang, said he worked for the company and took part in — or knew of — covert intelligence operations that included buying media coverage, creating thousands of social media accounts to attack Taiwan’s governing party and funneling donations to favored candidates of the opposition party, the Kuomintang.
Mr. Wang, 26, detailed his accusations in a 17-page appeal for asylum in Australia, where his wife and child had previously moved to study.
Taiwan’s justice ministry ordered the two executives, Xiang Xin and Kung Ching, to remain in Taiwan while investigators looked into the assertions of a defector in Australia that their company, China Innovation Investment Limited, acted on behalf of Chinese intelligence.
The defector, Wang Liqiang, said he worked for the company and took part in — or knew of — covert intelligence operations that included buying media coverage, creating thousands of social media accounts to attack Taiwan’s governing party and funneling donations to favored candidates of the opposition party, the Kuomintang.
Mr. Wang, 26, detailed his accusations in a 17-page appeal for asylum in Australia, where his wife and child had previously moved to study.
People briefed on his appeal in Australia said his claims were considered serious and reliable enough to warrant a deeper investigation.
Xiang, the executive director of the company, denied even knowing Mr. Wang, and the company said that Mr. Wang was not an employee.
Xiang and Kung, a deputy, were in Taiwan when the accusations emerged last week, and were stopped at Taoyuan International Airport on Sunday and questioned by prosecutors in Taipei.
The Taipei district prosecutors office is investigating Xiang and Kung under suspicion of violating Taiwan’s National Security Act.
“At present, the two individuals are barred from leaving Taiwan,” a spokeswoman for the office, Chen Yu-ping, said in a phone interview.
Xiang, the executive director of the company, denied even knowing Mr. Wang, and the company said that Mr. Wang was not an employee.
Xiang and Kung, a deputy, were in Taiwan when the accusations emerged last week, and were stopped at Taoyuan International Airport on Sunday and questioned by prosecutors in Taipei.
The Taipei district prosecutors office is investigating Xiang and Kung under suspicion of violating Taiwan’s National Security Act.
“At present, the two individuals are barred from leaving Taiwan,” a spokeswoman for the office, Chen Yu-ping, said in a phone interview.
“They have both been willing to cooperate with our investigation.”
If charged, the two men could face up to five years in prison.
The accusations against them came only weeks before Taiwan’s Jan. 11 presidential election and underscored what officials and experts have long warned: that China would attempt to interfere in the campaign.
If charged, the two men could face up to five years in prison.
The accusations against them came only weeks before Taiwan’s Jan. 11 presidential election and underscored what officials and experts have long warned: that China would attempt to interfere in the campaign.
China has made no secret of its opposition to the incumbent, Tsai Ing-wen, who was elected in 2016.
Her challenger from the Kuomintang is Han Kuo-yu, a populist who was elected mayor last year of the southern city of Kaohsiung.
Mr. Wang alleged that the Chinese had directly supported Mr. Han’s candidacy in those elections with donations funneled through Hong Kong.
The accusations have roiled politics in Taiwan, as well as in Australia, where reports about Chinese influence in the government have become a political lightning rod.
Ms. Tsai, speaking to more than 10,000 supporters at a Sunday rally in Taichung, Taiwan’s second-largest city, reiterated her warnings about China, saying the Communist Party’s goal was to prevent her re-election.
“China’s ability to influence Taiwan’s election will only increase, it’s not going to decrease,” she told the rally.
The accusations have roiled politics in Taiwan, as well as in Australia, where reports about Chinese influence in the government have become a political lightning rod.
Ms. Tsai, speaking to more than 10,000 supporters at a Sunday rally in Taichung, Taiwan’s second-largest city, reiterated her warnings about China, saying the Communist Party’s goal was to prevent her re-election.
“China’s ability to influence Taiwan’s election will only increase, it’s not going to decrease,” she told the rally.
“China will do whatever it takes to take down the presidential candidate they detest. Are you ready? Are you ready to protect democracy together and stand up to Chinese meddling?”
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