Taiwan has charged a government contract researcher with leaking official documents and laundering money for a hostile foreign group, in a case prosecutors say shows Beijing's growing reach inside the island's civil service.

• A contract researcher at Taiwan's health ministry is accused of passing secret official papers to a foreign handler she met online.
• She was allegedly paid a small monthly sum to hand over a list of Taiwanese journalists, move money, and dig up dirt on the government.
• Prosecutors say she used other people's bank accounts to funnel foreign money onward, some of it used to bribe two military officers.
• The case grew out of the spying investigation into Lin Chen-yu, a reporter at broadcaster CTi, whose account was used to send her part of the money.
• Prosecutors are asking the court for a 12-year sentence and say she will stay in custody during trial.

Outlook: Taiwan is expected to keep widening these investigations as recruitment of civil servants through online contacts and cash offers becomes a bigger national security worry.