TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Kaohsiung Branch of the Taiwan High Court (台灣高等法院高雄分院) sentenced a China-born spouse of a Taiwanese national to eight years in prison under the National Security Act (國安法) on Tuesday (Jan. 20), reversing an earlier acquittal. Zhou Manzhi (周滿芝), who is accused of operating under Beijing's directives and funding pro-China organizations in Taiwan, did not attend the hearing. The court has not yet disclosed detailed reasons for the ruling, which remains open for appeal.
The Taiwan High Prosecutors Office's (台灣高等檢察署) Kaohsiung branch charged Zhou with operating under Chinese directives and funding the development of pro-Beijing organizations in Taiwan. The Supreme Court found the original investigation incomplete and sent the case back for retrial after Zhou was initially acquitted. Prosecutors noted Zhou's previous membership in the Shaanxi Patriotic Volunteer Association (SXPVA, 中國陝西省愛國主義志願者協會), a China-based group, and her move to Taiwan in 2003 after marriage.
Zhou participated in organizing the Chinese Patriotic Party (中國愛國黨) in 2015 and established the Kaohsiung New Immigrants Sisters Care Association (高雄市新住民姐妹關懷協會). In 2016, she joined China's United Front Work Department (中國統一戰線工作委員會), a Chinese Communist Party agency coordinating influence operations abroad. Prosecutors alleged Zhou founded a Patriotic Volunteers Association (愛國主義志願者協會) in Taiwan in 2017, seeking support from Chinese officials in Hunan province.
In 2018, Zhou signed the Cross-Strait Patriotic Unification Declaration (中華海峽兩岸（民間）愛國促統宣言), recruiting spouses from China through her associations, prosecutors said. The trial court initially found insufficient evidence of Chinese control over the organizations and acquitted Zhou. The Supreme Court identified investigative oversights, prompting the retrial and subsequent conviction, though the case remains open for appeal. ◼