Taiwan's security officials are warning that the pro-Beijing China Unification Promotion Party (CUPP), a gang-linked group with a history of street violence and Chinese funding, is quietly fielding candidates in year-end elections — bad news for Taiwan's democracy and election integrity.

• At least 15 candidates in the coming elections are tied to the CUPP, many running as independents to hide the link.
• The party's members have past charges ranging from attempted murder and extortion to fraud and drugs, and have worked with the Chinese Communist Party on organizing and cross-border repression.
• In 2017 the CUPP and allied gangs sent hundreds of men to block Hong Kong activist Joshua Wong at the airport, and later beat students with batons at a Chinese-backed concert at National Taiwan University; party boss Chang An-lo praised the beating.
• In 2019 a CUPP official splashed red paint on Hong Kong singer Denise Ho at the legislature, with sewage and urine prepared as backups.
• A party spokesman and his wife took tens of millions of Taiwan dollars from Chinese government offices over a decade to run pro-Beijing media, and were charged under Taiwan's Anti-Infiltration Act.

Outlook: Security officials expect the CUPP to keep using independent candidates and online influence campaigns to erode Taiwan's elections, and are urging voters to stay alert ahead of the year-end vote.