Legislator Kao Chin Su-mei indicted, prosecutors seek 14-year sentence

Nov 05, 2026

Taiwan's High Prosecutors Office has indicted independent lawmaker Kao Chin Su-mei on national security and corruption charges, seeking a 14-year prison term, in a case she calls politically timed and baseless.

  • Prosecutors accuse Kao and three aides of taking money from China to build an organized network inside Taiwan, charging her under the National Security Act and bribery laws.
  • Kao denies the charges, says she never organized for the Chinese Communist Party and never received any mainland Chinese funding, and vows to fight the case in court.
  • She argues the timing is suspicious, coming just three days after a defense filing and shortly before an election, and says she was under surveillance for over 20 years without issue.
  • She frames the case as part of a broader pattern of labeling opposition figures as pro-Beijing infiltrators, questioning whether this fits democratic norms.

Outlook: The case moves to trial, where Kao says she will present evidence to contest the charges; the timing near elections is likely to keep this politically charged.

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