Taiwan Reorganizes Against More Assertive Chinese Intelligence Operations

Chinese public security authorities investigators initiated investigations against Democratic Progressive Party legislator Shen Boyang for separatism in October and November 2025. The move follows Beijing's publication of a list of pro-independence Taiwanese political figures, with China reportedly preparing to request Interpol to issue a red notice against the Taiwanese politician.

The move is in line with the more assertive tactics China has employed against Taiwan as cross-strait relations have worsened in recent years, such as repeatedly using extraterritorial jurisdiction to summon and intimidate Taiwanese individuals within China, particularly retired Taiwanese intelligence officials.

In one such recent case, a retired Taiwanese official was called in for questioning by Chinese security while visiting the country. The official, surnamed Liao, served in the Intelligence Bureau for nearly 40 years and had a senior role overseeing compliance. After safely returning to Taiwa, he reported the incident, including the topics discussed, to the Investigation Bureau Director Chen Pai-li. 

The incident garnered attention within the bureau.

Retired Intelligence Agents Often Invited for a Chat in China

An official from Taiwan's Investigation Bureau stated that their agents investigate economic and drug crimes, as well as national security threats involving counter-espionage and Mainland Chinese infiltration. The bureau's work involves extensive interaction with Chinese security agencies, and their operations are closely monitored by their Chinese counterparts.

Due to the animosity between Taipei and Beijing in the decades following the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949, Taiwanese intelligence officials historically avoided traveling to China for much of the latter half of the 20th century. This situation began to slowly change following the opening up and steady increase of civilian travel between the two sides towards the end of the century, leading to some retired Taiwanese officials choosing to travel to China in recent decades. 

Although occasionally called in for a "chat" with Chinese security personnel, none of these intelligence offices have ever been charged with a crime.

Even still, a retired Taiwanese bureau official told Storm Media that most former officers still avoid traveling to China or Hong Kong due to fears of being summoned for such a chat. 

The official spoke about one former senior intelligence leader called in for such a conversation during a trip to Xinjiang following his retirement. The quick-thinking man suggested he could meet up when he made his next trip to China, and his Chinese counterpart - evidently intent on playing a long game -  eventually agreed after checking with higher-ups. After managing to evade the meeting, the retired intelligence leader avoided revisiting China.

​

Another less low-key officer was called in for repeated rounds of chats over several days after preparing to give a speech on the particularly sensitive topic of "cross-strait relations and national security" in China, after stating that he was a former intelligence officer. 

And the avoidance of visits to China due to fear does not stop at intelligence officers. Even many Taiwanese lawyers are wary of accepting cases involving espionage or national security, such as one former senior prosecutor who had a child studying in China and feared they might be interrogated if he did so. 

And even Taiwanese investigator bureau personnel who only worked on domestic criminal cases and never touched Chinese counter-intelligence operations still find themselves frequently called in for chats when they travel to China, despite their ID cards listing their profession as unemployed. 

It has veteran former long-time Investigation Bureau officers (known as "OBs", short for "Old Bones") asking, “How is Chinese intelligence that good?”

Investigation Bureau Secrecy Amidst Security Tensions

Amid China's aggressive actions, Taiwan's Investigation Bureau has experienced several waves of internal personnel changes since the most recent Director General, Michael Chen, began reorganizing the organization after taking office in May 2024.

In an unusual move, the bureau has not publicly disclosed these personnel changes, including high-ranking positions such as deputy chiefs and task force leaders. Even more unusual, personnel changes within the bureau's National Security Unit - including its deputy director and section chief - have been kept top secret and not even announced within the bureau itself. ​

The National Security Unit is the elite force for Chinese counter-espionage actions, and often takes precedence over other agencies in cases involving national security. 

Chen himself previously served as a secretary and deputy director of the unit and is widely known within the bureau for his uncompromising stance toward Chinese espionage. In his own words, he “refuses to coexist with traitors" and stated during questioning in the Legislative Yuan, “If there's cheating, of course we're going to arrest people." 

His recent leadership overhaul aims to enhance capabilities and address lessons learned from several past high-profile cases. By keeping security personnel changes as discreet as possible, he is preparing the bureau to wage a complex intelligence battle against its formidable counterparts on the mainland.