Taiwan indicts four former members of ruling party accused of spying for China
TAIPEI, Taiwan (AP) — Prosecutors in Taiwan on Tuesday indicted four former members of the ruling Democratic Progressive Party on charges of spying for China, authorities said.
It wasn't clear whether the four had volunteered their services, but the indictments point to China's willingness to exploit any opening to gain confidential information about the island it claims as its own territory.
It is alleged that confidential information, including details about the schedules of the president and vice president during their trips abroad, may have been obtained.
The four included Huang Chu-jung, a former assistant to a county councilor representing the DPP that has run Taiwan for the past nine years, who was allegedly recruited while on a business trip to China. the Taipei District Prosecutors' Office said.
The three others had also formerly served as advisers in the presidential office, the National Security Council and other bodies, the prosecution statement said.
The indictments come amid a series of such actions by the Taiwanese government, especially targeting serving and retired military personnel.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
New York Post
28 minutes ago
- New York Post
Three cheers for the US-China trade war ceasefire
Yay! High-level US-China talks in London this week reached a trade-war ceasefire, offering some stability for nervous markets. Days of talks, following on President Donald Trump's call with China's Xi Jinping last Thursday, settled on a framework that leaves a 55% US tariff on Chinese goods and a 10% Chinese levy on American imports. Plus, Beijing will ease restrictions on rare-earth exports while Washington will back off on its developing ban on Chinese students attending American universities. Plenty of issues remain: China's key role in world fentanyl production, for one thing; its long history of intellectual-property theft, currency manipulation and so on. Not to mention the outright espionage that so many of those students are dragged into. And of course in the longer term the United States needs to be less dependent on China for rare earths, pharmaceutical precursors and many other critical needs. The two sides are supposed to reach a comprehensive deal by Aug. 10, but at least the summer should be calm. The chaos of on-again, off-again tariffs had led to turbulence in US markets and had mom-and-pop shops bracing for 'the end'; now they can plan at least a couple of months ahead, with solid reason to hope the worst is over. US businesses can adapt to 55% tariffs on Chinese goods, as long as they've got some certainty that the rate will remain stable. Kudos to Treasury and Commerce Secretaries Scott Bessent and Howard Lutnick, the top US negotiators in London, for mastering 'the art of the framework'; let's hope Trump and Xi can close a final deal.
Boston Globe
36 minutes ago
- Boston Globe
Trump hails limited trade agreement with China after talks in London
Advertisement Less than two weeks after accusing China of violating a trade-war truce, Trump on Wednesday had nothing but praise for the Chinese leader. 'President Xi and I are going to work closely together to open up China to American Trade. This would be a great WIN for both countries!!!' the president wrote in a second Truth Social post. Under the renewed truce, the United States will impose a 55 percent tariff on Chinese goods, and China will hit American products with a 10 percent import tax, the president said. Those are both higher rates than before Trump took office, but lower than the triple-digit tariff levels that each nation imposed this spring. US and Chinese negotiators agreed late Tuesday to try again to implement the trade-war truce that collapsed amid recriminations on both sides just weeks after it was reached during an earlier round of talks in Geneva. Advertisement Speaking near midnight in London, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick announced what he called a 'handshake' deal to put into effect the terms of the May 12 US-China agreement that called for both nations to lower their tariffs and take additional steps to facilitate trade. 'We have reached a framework to implement the Geneva consensus and the call between the two presidents,' Lutnick told reporters, referring to a June 5 telephone conversation between Trump and Xi. 'I think it's really beneficial to the United States of America. It's very beneficial to the Chinese and the China economy.' Negotiators released no text of either the London framework or the earlier Geneva accord to de-escalate the US-China trade war. But Lutnick said both nations would remove new trade barriers they had erected as the truce broke down. That means China is expected to permit an increased flow of critical materials known as 'rare earths' for auto and defense production. As those shipments increase, the United States will lift measures that it imposed recently 'in a balanced way,' Lutnick said. 'We do absolutely expect that the topic of rare-earth minerals and magnets, with respect to the United States of America, will be resolved in this framework implementation,' Lutnick said. He did not specify which US measures would be lifted in response. But his department has implemented a number of restrictions on exports to China of aerospace technology and advanced semiconductor equipment, which Chinese officials urgently want removed. Lutnick described the diplomatic breakthrough as the first step toward expanding US-China trade, which topped $580 billion last year. The United States buys more than three times as much from China as Chinese customers buy from Americans, a trade deficit that the president has inveighed against for years as a measure of industrial decline. Advertisement 'We have an existing, significant trade deficit, and President Trump's fundamental goal is to reduce the trade deficit and increase trade. So this was the first step of the framework by which we will then approach and discuss growing trade . But first we had to sort of get the negativity out," Lutnick said. Briefing reporters outside Lancaster House, the 19th-century mansion in London's West End that hosted two days of talks, Lutnick credited the involvement of both presidents with producing quick results. 'You have to get things done if you're working for President Trump. I'm sure they felt they had to get it done because they were working for President Xi,' he said. The US delegation also included Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and US Trade Representative Jamieson Greer. Bessent left the talks a few hours early to return to Washington in time to appear before Congress on Wednesday. The Chinese team was led by Vice Premier He Lifeng, a close associate of Xi. In China, Li Chenggang, China's vice commerce minister, said the talks were 'professional, rational, in-depth and candid,' according to Chinese state media, and Beijing hopes the discussions will 'be conducive to increasing trust between China and the United States.' Yao Yang, an economist at Peking University, said the fact that Beijing and Washington engaged in negotiations amid bitter trade tensions is positive. 'The Chinese government's stance has always been, if you want to fight, we are going to take it. But the purpose of fighting is not just for the sake of fighting, it is to prepare for negotiation or to bring the other side to the negotiation table,' he said. Advertisement Yet even as the latest attempt to put US-China relations on a sound footing moved forward, Greer nodded to the long list of issues that divide the two sides. The Trump administration has complained about Chinese policies that fuel what it sees as excess production of manufactured goods, which depress global prices and hurt American factory workers. 'There are some things that the Chinese and US economies, they just don't fit together very well. Other things, maybe they do. And there'll be a time for broader conversations on that,' he said. The 90-day pause on triple-digit tariffs that amounted to a de facto US-China trade embargo expires Aug. 12. In response to a question about prospects for an extension, Greer said that would be up to the president. Further talks are expected, though no date has been agreed to yet. The Trump administration notched a legal win Tuesday when a federal appeals court ruled that many of the tariffs the president imposed on China can remain while the government appeals a lower-court ruling that found they were illegal. The Court of International Trade, a little-known specialized court in New York, ruled last month that Trump exceeded his authority by invoking emergency powers to impose tariffs on imports from China and other nations. The Trump administration quickly appealed and the appeals court temporarily paused the lower court's decision. On Tuesday, it said that pause could stay in place while the appeal was decided. Advertisement 'The court also concludes that these cases present issues of exceptional importance warranting expedited en banc consideration of the merits in the first instance,' the US Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit said Tuesday. The appeals court said it would expedite the issue and hear arguments July 31.
CNET
37 minutes ago
- CNET
Yes, an iPhone Could Cost More Than $2,200 With Tariffs. Should You Buy One Now?
Tariffs could soon raise the price of iPhone. James Martin/CNET President Donald Trump announced he has made a deal with China, which could potentially affect the cost of a new iPhone -- but maybe not as much as you think. "WE ARE GETTING A TOTAL OF 55% TARIFFS, CHINA IS GETTING 10%," Trump said in a post on Truth Social, noting that he and China's president, Xi Jinping, still need to give their final approval for the deal. However, 55% "total" tariff incorporates 30% the countries agreed to in May (10% "reciprocal tariff" + 20% "fentanyl tariff") and approximately 25% from tariffs that Trump imposed on China during his first term, according to a White House official. Although 55% is substantially less than the original 145% tariff against China Trump originally put in place, it's still likely to result in higher prices for many items, said Michael Coon, associate professor of economics at the University of Tampa. And the new tariff deal doesn't take into account the 25% smartphone tariff Trump announced shortly after Apple said it was moving production of US iPhones to India. "I would suspect that the 25% smartphone tariff would be added on top of the existing tariffs in China," he said. "I think the smartphone tariff is more reaction to India -- Apple's announcement that they were going to ship most of their production to India." Apple didn't mention tariffs during its Worldwide Developers Conference this week, but with the rumored iPhone 17 due for a price hike -- regardless of tariffs -- is now the time to buy a new iPhone? Read more: Thinking About Buying a New iPhone? Here's Why You Should Wait How much could tariffs raise iPhone prices? We do the math Companies don't always pass the full tariff onto customers in the form of higher prices, but they can. Even if Apple could absorb some of the costs, you should expect to see significant price jumps if tariffs take effect. "They're still going to probably pass 80% to 90% onto consumers, if they can," Coon said. "Unless they wanted to do some sort of marketing ploy out of it, which I don't suspect they would want to do, because that would be directly going up against the administration." Based on the current tariff rate, iPhones manufactured in China are already subject to a 25% tariff (from Trump's first term), but could now get an additional 30% tariff. Goods from India currently have a 10% baseline tariff but that could potentially soar to 26% next month. Here's how the current tariffs and potential 25% Apple tariff could affect the price of the iPhone. These figures are based on our estimates and not confirmed by Apple: How much could iPhones made in China cost after tariffs? Current price With new 30% tariff New tariff + 25% smartphone tariff iPhone 16e (128GB) $599 $779 $928 iPhone 16 (128GB) $829 $1,078 $1,285 iPhone 16 Plus (128GB) $929 $1,208 $1,440 iPhone 16 Pro (128GB) $999 $1,299 $1,548 iPhone 16 Pro Max (256GB) $1,199 $1,559 $1,858 iPhone 16 Pro Max (1TB) $1,599 $2,079 $2,478 How much could iPhones made in India cost after tariffs? Current price Current 10% tariff Potential 26% tariff Potential 26% tariff + 25% smartphone tariff iPhone 16e (128GB) $599 $659 $755 $904 iPhone 16 (128GB) $829 $912 $1,045 $1,252 iPhone 16 Plus (128GB) $929 $1,022 $1,171 $1,403 iPhone 16 Pro (128GB) $999 $1,099 $1,259 $1,508 iPhone 16 Pro Max (256GB) $1,199 $1,319 $1,511 $1,810 iPhone 16 Pro Max (1TB) $1,599 $1,759 $2,015 $2,414 Based on Coon's estimates that Apple could pass along up to 90% of the tariff cost to customers, that could raise the price of a new iPhone 16 Pro Max (1 TB) assembled in China to $2,230. "Estimates say it would cost $3,500 to produce an iPhone in the US. So, it would still be cheaper to produce in China," Coon said. There's a lot more that goes into the price of an iPhone than simply where it's assembled. Apple sources components for its products from a long list of countries, which could face higher tariffs after the pause. And a tariff on goods doesn't necessarily mean prices will increase by the same amount. If companies want to stay competitive, they could absorb some of the costs to keep their prices lower. Apple did not respond to a request for comment. When could we see iPhone prices increase? It's unclear exactly when prices could go up, but if companies sell out of devices produced before the tariffs, they may have to increase prices on products in tariffed shipments. However, even if Apple can't avoid tariffs entirely, it has ways to offset the impact through its services -- including its music, news and data plans -- according to supply chain expert Joe Hudicka. "Apple will likely absorb some of the tariff costs up front to keep sticker prices stable, then pass the rest on to consumers gradually through service bundles, device longevity and ecosystem upgrades," he said. "Consumers will still pay, just not all at once." And regardless of how the tariff drama plays out, the Wall Street Journal reports that Apple plans to raise iPhone prices later this year. So expect prices to go up soon. Is it better to buy an iPhone and other tech now or wait? If you already planned to buy a new smartphone, buying it now might save you money. But if you don't need a new phone immediately, you might want to wait, said CNET Managing Editor Patrick Holland, who's been reviewing phones for CNET since 2016. "If iPhone prices rise, know that, like cars, the prices for used iPhones will likely rise, too," he said. "If Apple does raise its prices, you'll likely get more for your old iPhone when you trade it in, and that should offset any increased prices." If you don't have the cash on hand and are considering using a credit card or buy now, pay later plan just to avoid tariffs, make sure you have the money to cover the costs before you start accruing interest. With credit cards' average interest rates currently more than 20%, the cost of financing a big purchase could quickly wipe out any savings you'd get by buying before prices go up because of tariffs. "If you finance this expense on a credit card and can't pay it off in full in one to two months, you'll likely end up paying way more than a tariff would cost you," said Alaina Fingal, an accountant, founder of The Organized Money and a CNET Money Expert Review Board member. "I would recommend that you pause on any big purchases until the economy is more stable." One way to save on Apple products, even if prices go up, is to buy last year's model instead of the newest release or a used one. And trading or selling a used one can help offset the cost even more. "Apple has leaned into that with its Certified Refurbished program, much like the auto industry's used car model," Hudicka said. "This program helps extend the lifespan of devices, keeping customers in the Apple ecosystem longer while distributing the cost impact over time." Buy or Wait Guide: How Tariffs Will Change Tech Prices and What to Do Next Buy or Wait Guide: How Tariffs Will Change Tech Prices and What to Do Next Click to unmute Video Player is loading. Play Video Pause Skip Backward Skip Forward Next playlist item Unmute Current Time 0:00 / Duration 0:30 Loaded : 79.36% 0:00 Stream Type LIVE Seek to live, currently behind live LIVE Remaining Time - 0:30 Share Fullscreen This is a modal window. Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window. Text Color White Black Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Text Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Opaque Semi-Transparent Transparent Caption Area Background Color Black White Red Green Blue Yellow Magenta Cyan Opacity Transparent Semi-Transparent Opaque Font Size 50% 75% 100% 125% 150% 175% 200% 300% 400% Text Edge Style None Raised Depressed Uniform Drop shadow Font Family Proportional Sans-Serif Monospace Sans-Serif Proportional Serif Monospace Serif Casual Script Small Caps Reset Done Close Modal Dialog End of dialog window. Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. Close Modal Dialog This is a modal window. This modal can be closed by pressing the Escape key or activating the close button. Buy or Wait Guide: How Tariffs Will Change Tech Prices and What to Do Next
