Taiwan Detains Communist Party Chair Over Chinese Election Funding

Taiwanese authorities detained Lin Te-wang, the founder and chairman of the Taiwan People's Communist Party, on suspicion of accepting funding and instructions from the Chinese Communist Party to influence local elections scheduled for November 28. Prosecutors from the Tainan and Hsinchu District Prosecutors Offices allege that Lin violated the Anti-Infiltration Act and the Election and Recall Act by coordinating candidates and attempting to buy votes.

Investigators claim Lin accepted financial support to run for ward chief in Tainan's Xinying District and provided similar financing and direction for party member Chen Zhen-zhou to run for office in Hsinchu. The probe further alleges that Lin and Chen recruited eligible voters for all-expenses-paid trips to mainland China to influence their voting behavior.

The Tainan District Court ordered Lin to be held incommunicado to prevent him from fleeing or destroying evidence. In contrast, the Hsinchu District Court released Chen on 50,000-Taiwan-dollar bail, a ruling that prosecutors intend to appeal. Lin and another official were previously acquitted of similar charges in 2025.