Taiwan's security agencies have flagged at least 15 candidates tied to the pro-Beijing Chinese Unification Promotion Party running in this year's local elections, a worrying sign for election integrity as most have criminal records and are hiding their party ties.

• The Interior Ministry has asked the Constitutional Court to dissolve the party for working with China's influence operations and for years of violent crime by its members.
• Even so, at least 15 party members or close associates have registered to run for village chief, township council, and even county council seats across northern and southern Taiwan.
• Most are running as independents or under other party labels to hide their links to the party and its push for unification by force.
• Over 80% of these candidates have criminal records, including fraud, intimidation, vote-buying, and election law violations.
• Police have caught 134 party members in cases ranging from murder and robbery to human trafficking since 2010, and prosecutors have charged several under national security and anti-infiltration laws.

Outlook: Authorities are urging voters to report any threats or vote-buying before the November election, while the court decides whether the party will be banned outright.