Chinese spouse sentenced to 8 years for forming ‘united front’ groupsBy Pao Chien-hsin and Hollie Younger / Staff reporter, with staff writerThe Kaohsiung branch of the High Court today sentenced a Chinese spouse to eight years in prison for creating immigrant associations sponsored by Chinese “united front” groups, overturning its previous acquittal after the Supreme Court remanded the case for a retrial. The court sentenced Zhou Manzhi (周滿芝) to eight years for contravening the National Security Act (國家安全法). Photo: CNAAs chair of the Taiwan New Residents Care Association, Zhou was accused of acting under the direction of Chinese organizations — including the Shaanxi Patriotic Volunteer Association — to develop organizations in Taiwan. She was a member of the Shaanxi Patriotic Volunteer Association and the China Patriotic Volunteer Association, civilian groups commissioned by the Chinese Communist Party’s United Front Work Department, the High Court said. Prosecutors then suspected Zhou of forming “united front” organizations and transferred the case to the Kaohsiung High Prosecutors’ Office, as it fell under second-instance jurisdiction.

Source: Taipei Times January 20, 2026 10:42 UTC