The political involvement of Mainland Chinese spouses in Taiwan continues to spark various issues. Following the controversy over People’s Party legislator Li Zhenxiu, a Mainland spouse, due to dual nationality, recently Xu Chunying, a Mainland spouse and chairwoman of the New Residents Development Association, was accused of long-term reporting of Taiwan’s political information to CCP organizations and promoting designated candidates. She has been indicted under the Anti-Infiltration Act and other charges, with prosecutors seeking heavy penalties. Scholars argue that Li Zhenxiu, Xu Chunying, and others are influenced by a “superiority illusion” from authoritarian systems, trampling on the free order that Taiwan has painstakingly built. With CCP influence infiltrating Taiwan, the island has no room to retreat; one more step back, and even the home would be lost.
According to Central News Agency reports, the New Taipei District Prosecutors’ Office found that Mainland spouse Xu Chunying, who entered Taiwan in 1998, served as a director of the New Residents Development Association. She and Zhong Jinming, president of the Cross-Strait Marriage Coordination and Promotion Association, frequently traveled to China under the pretext of serving Mainland spouse affairs. There, they met CCP officials including Yang Wentao, director of the “Cross-Strait Marriage and Family Services Center under the Ministry of Civil Affairs,” and Sun Xian, deputy director of the “Shanghai Committee of the Revolutionary Committee of the Chinese Kuomintang,” maintaining close contact and reporting on Taiwan’s political and election developments.
The indictment states that Xu Chunying, dissatisfied with the Kuomintang for not shortening the residency period required for Mainland spouses and for not placing Mainland spouse candidates on safe party-list positions, turned to support other political parties.
Prosecutors allege that in 2022, Xu reported to Yang Wentao that Huang Shanshan was running as an independent candidate for Taipei mayor. Yang reportedly said, “She supports us, so we support her,” to which Xu replied, “Politically, I openly support cross-strait peaceful unification. I’m not blue, nor green; ask me my color, I’m red.” She subsequently mobilized Mainland spouses to promote Huang’s campaign.
For the 2024 presidential election, under Sun Xian’s instructions, Xu maintained contact with Huang Shanshan. Upon learning that People’s Party presidential candidate Ko Wen-je intended to develop Mainland spouse organizations, she reported the party’s contacts to Yang Wentao and mobilized Mainland spouses to assist Ko’s campaign.
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Involvement in financial crimes amounting to NT$28.75 million
In addition, between 2020 and 2025, Xu illegally handled currency exchange transactions in New Taiwan dollars, RMB, and USD totaling NT$28.75 million, with illicit gains exceeding NT$240,000.
Xu also used her daughter’s name to apply for a housing loan, colluded with friend Ms. Luo to insure Xu’s daughter under a company account, and forged employment documents to obtain a bank loan of NT$26.97 million.
Prosecutors stated that Xu, having enjoyed the benefits of Taiwan’s democratic rule of law and human rights protections for many years, colluded with and pledged loyalty to the foreign hostile CCP, leaked Taiwan political intelligence, helped the CCP monitor Mainland spouses in Taiwan, and maintained her influence in the Mainland spouse community. She also leveraged her ability to mobilize Mainland spouses to demand party-list legislative seats. She has been indicted under the Anti-Infiltration Act, the Banking Act, forgery, and fraud, with prosecutors recommending heavy sentencing.
Scholar Li Zhongxian believes that Mainland spouses like Li Zhenxiu and Xu Chunying are influenced by an authoritarian “superiority illusion,” trampling on the free order painstakingly built in Taiwan.
On March 25, Li Zhongxian posted on Facebook that the behavior and arrogance of People’s Party legislator Li Zhenxiu, former Unigroup chairman Zhao Weiguo, and Mainland spouse Ya-ya in Taiwan are similar. He criticized Li for disregarding Taiwan, assuming she could rely on specific politicians to bypass the law; she not only mocked KMT city councilor Zhong Xiaoping as a “dog,” but also accused fellow party members Gao Hong’an and Ko Wen-je of financial misconduct in live broadcasts, without Ko responding critically.
Li Zhongxian pointed out that in their perception, Taiwan is considered part of China, a subordinate, secondary area that should obey. He questioned whether Li acted as a “special envoy,” motivated by money, interests, leverage, or expectations for the future, making some willing to cooperate or even submit. Li’s refusal to renounce Chinese nationality and her assertive stance is interpreted as an attempt to convey the political message that “both sides belong to one country,” aligning with CCP positions.
Provoking Taiwan society and testing blue-white politicians
Li Zhongxian stated that this drama continues because, in authoritarian states, power overrides everything. In a sense, Li Zhenxiu is “successful”—although the KMT has long submitted to the CCP, it never dared to nominate Chinese citizens for party-list legislative positions. Li has effectively turned Taiwan into a part of China, allowing Xi Jinping’s influence to penetrate Taiwan’s political core.
He said this is not only a provocation to Taiwanese society but also a test of how much Blue-White (KMT-People’s Party) politicians are willing to cooperate, stay silent, or submit. Many politicians, from Zheng Liwen, Huang Guochang, to Legislative Yuan President Han Guoyu, have not spoken out, with only Zhong Xiaoping offering criticism. Even Chen Chaozi, previously advocating “One Country on Each Side,” defended her in the legislature, challenging existing stances.
Li Zhongxian analyzed that some believe this issue could impact the People’s Party’s election prospects, but the CCP does not care. For Xi Jinping, the People’s Party is merely “dogs,” as suggested by Li Zhenxiu’s words. He also questioned why roughly 30 percent of the public does not oppose Li’s reelection, reflecting a societal tendency toward authoritarian dependence—looking up to “impartial judges” and submitting to “special envoys” instead of making rational judgments.
He emphasized that these influences from authoritarian systems are spreading within Taiwan, undermining the existing free order. Under CCP threats, the situation is no longer a warning but a reality: “It’s not that we cannot retreat, but we have no place to retreat; one more step back, and even our home will be lost.”
By Li Jingyao
