Taiwanese prosecutors say a fringe party leader ran for a local election post with funding and direction from China, a case that fits a broader pattern of Beijing trying to buy influence in Taiwan's grassroots politics.

• Prosecutors in Tainan and Hsinchu say the chairman of the Taiwan People's Communist Party took orders and money from China to run for a village chief seat.
• He allegedly also directed a party colleague to run for a similar local post in Hsinchu using the same backing.
• Investigators say the two also organized trips to China for local voters, treating them to free stays as a form of vote-buying.
• The chairman was ordered held without visitation rights over fears he'd flee or tamper with evidence; his associate was released on bail with travel restrictions.

Outlook: The case is likely to fuel Taiwan's ongoing scrutiny of Chinese interference in local elections, with more arrests or charges possible as the investigation continues.