A Taiwanese court on Tuesday sentenced Hsu Chun-ying, a woman who advocated for spouses born in mainland China, to seven years in prison. The court in New Taipei City found her guilty of conspiring with Chinese government officials and proxies to influence Taiwanese politics, and of violating the Banking Act by transferring NT$24.5 million (approximately $760,000) from China outside of proper banking channels.
Hsu, who was born in China and later immigrated to Taiwan after marrying, has been a figure of scrutiny amid rising tensions between Taiwan and China. Prosecutors presented evidence of exchanges between Hsu and a director from China's Ministry of Civil Affairs discussing support for specific political parties to secure lawmaker positions for mainland spouses in both the Taipei mayoral election and the 2024 presidential election.
Hsu had been briefly considered as a legislative candidate for Taiwan People's Party but withdrew amid questions about her loyalties. She most recently led the Cross Straits Marriage and Family Services alliance, an organization that was disbanded by Taiwan's Interior Ministry in May for failing to hold timely elections for its directors.
Prosecutors stated that Hsu met frequently with Yang Wentao, a director within China's Ministry of Civil Affairs, and Sun Xian, deputy head of the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang in Shanghai. According to the prosecution, Hsu and Yang coordinated to support Huang Shan-shan, an independent candidate for Taipei mayor who later joined the Taiwan People's Party. Hsu also campaigned for Ko Wen-je, a presidential candidate and founder of the Taiwan People's Party, at their direction.
The case has drawn media attention partly due to Hsu's status as a "mainland spouse," a term used for individuals born in China who immigrate to Taiwan after marriage. This community has faced suspicion as cross-strait relations have intensified.
Taiwan and China separated following a civil war in 1949, with China asserting a claim over the self-governing island. In response to China's increased military presence around Taiwan, the island has focused on bolstering its defenses and acquiring more weaponry.
Critics have raised concerns that the charges against Hsu were vaguely worded, with writer and activist Shangguanluan suggesting that the ruling party could "arbitrarily weaponize this charge." In 2025, Taiwan deported three Chinese spouses for advocating reunification with China through military means. Taiwanese immigration authorities also required 12,000 mainland spouses with Taiwanese citizenship to provide proof of cancellation of their Chinese household registrations.
Concerns regarding espionage and the smuggling of sensitive technology to China have been growing, with authorities prosecuting several related cases. In March, three men were investigated for allegedly attempting to smuggle computer servers containing advanced Nvidia chips to China. Last year, a Taiwanese court sentenced four soldiers, including members of President Lai Ching-te's security detail, to seven years in prison for providing sensitive information to China.