Taiwan denies state media report on campus spies

Beijing yesterday expressed concern after state media reported Taiwan was setting up a network of mainland students to gather intelligence for the island and said it should stop immediately.

But the island's National Security Bureau dismissed the accusation as groundless, saying it had not hired any students to spy.

The Global Times, which is affiliated with the official People's Daily, quoted a mainland official as saying Taiwan had recruited mainland students to gather details about the military and other sensitive areas.

A spokeswoman for the Taiwan Affairs Office, Fan Liqing, said yesterday Beijing was concerned about the report and urged Taipei to halt such activities.

"The instigation by Taiwanese intelligence organisations will jeopardise the safety … of mainland students and seriously disturb cross-strait education exchanges. Taiwan authorities should stop these activities immediately," Fan said.

The paper, quoting an unnamed official source, said three Taiwanese - Lin Chao-wei, Hsu Chi-chun, and Tai Wei-kuang - had tried to recruit mainland students at some 20 universities. The report gave their ID numbers and said they had paid recruits between NT$10,000 (HK$2,550) and NT$50,000 in cash.