Independent Lawmaker and Aides Charged With Colluding With Beijing

Independent Taiwanese lawmaker Kao Chin Su-mei has been indicted on national security and corruption charges, according to prosecutors. Prosecutors say Kao Chin and three aides accepted funding from China to establish a spy network in Taiwan. They also say she used her office to promote positions aligned with directives from the Chinese Communist Party. In addition to the national security charges, Kao Chin is also accused of misappropriating funds intended for legislative assistants and embezzling money to import China-made COVID-19 test kits that had not been approved during the pandemic.