A Taiwanese appeals court has upheld the acquittal of a former local officials' leader accused of taking China's money to sway the 2024 presidential election — a setback for prosecutors testing the island's anti-infiltration law.

• The former head of Changhua County's village and borough chiefs association was accused of organizing trips to Chongqing for local officials before the January 2024 election.
• Travelers paid only for their flights; Chinese authorities covered food, lodging, transport and tours, with Chinese officials and Taiwanese businesspeople attending banquets.
• Prosecutors said the trips were a disguised bribe meant to push voters toward a particular candidate, violating the anti-infiltration law and election rules.
• The lower court found most participants heard no pitch for any candidate and did not know who paid — too little proof that China directed or funded the effort.
• The appeals court in Taichung backed that ruling, noting prosecutors brought no new evidence on appeal.

Outlook: The case is not final and can still be appealed, but the ruling shows how hard it is to win convictions under Taiwan's anti-infiltration law without direct proof of Chinese instructions or money.