Kaohsiung: The head of a new immigrants' association in Taiwan has been sentenced to eight years in prison in a retrial, as announced by the Kaohsiung Branch of the Taiwan High Court. The court found that Zhou Manzhi, a Chinese spouse who later obtained Taiwanese citizenship, was involved in developing China-directed organizations in Taiwan.

According to Focus Taiwan, Zhou established the Taiwan New Inhabitants' Association and a Kaohsiung-based new immigrants sisters association under the guidance of organizations controlled by the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). The court highlighted that the Shaanxi Province Patriotic Volunteers Association and the China Patriotic Volunteers Association are aligned with CCP united front directives and are under the control of provincial-level united front departments.

The court noted that Zhou received instructions from these organizations to form the Kaohsiung-based group and subsequently expand it nationwide. Her activities were found to be aligned with specific united front objectives, which involved establishing affiliated organizations in Taiwan.

The associations led by Zhou were reportedly used to target Chinese spouses, new immigrants, and second-generation immigrants, posing a threat to Taiwan's constitutional order and social stability. Zhou, who arrived in Taiwan in 2003, was said to have cooperated with Chinese authorities by conducting united front work under the guise of cross-strait economic and cultural exchanges.

In light of the ideological nature of the offenses and Zhou's lack of a prior criminal record, the court sentenced her to eight years in prison for violating the National Security Act. The ruling may be appealed.

The retrial was prompted by a Supreme Court decision that overturned Zhou's previous acquittal. The decision cited insufficient investigation and reasoning, particularly concerning the handling of affiliated organizations, financial flows, and national security intelligence.