Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 64621 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 08AITTAIPEI36, EXBS: TAIWAN MONTHLY REPORTING CABLE - DECEMBER 2007

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #08AITTAIPEI36.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
08AITTAIPEI36 2008-01-09 09:32 2011-08-23 00:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY American Institute Taiwan, Taipei
VZCZCXYZ0010
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0036/01 0090932
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 090932Z JAN 08
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7759
RHMFIUU/USCBP WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/DEPT OF ENERGY WASHINGTON DC
UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000036 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR ISN/ECC - YWONG, ACHURCH, KCROUCH AND ROWEN 
DEPT FOR EAP/TC - SBREMNER 
DEPT FOR MTR - PDURHAM, SMIKOL, JMAYES, AND RPALMIERO 
CBP/INA FOR RWATT AND JGOUGE 
DEPT FOR ENERGY/NNSA FOR T. PERRY AND S. JONES 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETTC MNUC PARM PREL KSTC KNNP TW
SUBJECT: EXBS: TAIWAN MONTHLY REPORTING CABLE - DECEMBER 2007 
 
I.  BROAD ITEMS OF INTEREST TO ADVISORS AND AGENCY 
MANAGERS: 
 
(SBU) None. 
 
II. COMPLETED ACTIONS FOR THE REPORTING PERIOD. 
 
A.  SITE ASSESSMENTS AND MEETINGS DURING REPORTING PERIOD: 
 
1.  (SBU) On December 11, the Export Control and Related Border 
Security (EXBS) Program Advisor met with Taiwan Ministry of Justice 
Investigation Bureau (MJIB) officials to get an update on export 
control cases.  As part of MJIB's update, the EXBS Advisor received 
written summaries of closed and open cases as of December 2007.  The 
following is a summary of the verbal and written updates. 
BEGIN SUMMARY 
 
CLOSED CASES 
 
2.  (SBU)  Kuo Cheng-Chung (Kuo) and Lin Fang-Tusen (Lin), 
individually:  In November 2004, Kuo, the individual in charge of 
Ching Hwee International Trading Company (Ching Hwee) located in 
Feng Yuan City, Taichung County, and Lin, a former employee of Ching 
Hwee, established SinaTek Equipment (SinaTek).  In December 2005, 
Kuo and Lin traveled to Sheng Yang Machinery Corp. (Sheng Yang) 
located in Shen Yang Province, China, to arrange a bogus sale of a 
machining center to Shen Yang.  The actual purchaser of the 
machining center was Ryonha Machinery J/V Corp. (Ryonha) located in 
North Korea.  (Kuo had long-established business relationships with 
both Shen Yang and Ryonha.)  Kuo placed the order with Leadwell 
Machine Co., a Taiwan company, to manufacture the machining center. 
In May 2006, Leadwell delivered the machining center to Ching Hwee. 
Kuo and Lin then resold the machining center to SinaTek.  Kuo and 
Lin, through SinaTek, hired a customs broker to prepare the 
necessary export documents and submit them to Taichung Customs 
Bureau using documents provided by Shen Yang.  The documents 
prepared by Shen Yang falsely stated that the machining center would 
be shipped to Dalien Harbor in China.  On June 15, 2006, Kuo and Lin 
arranged for the machining center to be shipped from Taiwan to North 
Korea on Pong Hua, a North Korean flagged vessel.  However, the 
shipment was seized before it left Taichung.  At the time of the 
attempted shipment, neither Kuo nor Lin obtained the required permit 
from the Bureau of Foreign Trade (BOFT) of the Taiwan Ministry of 
Economic Affairs to export to North Korea.  Both individuals 
received suspended sentences of six months imprisonment and were 
required to donate NTD 150, 000 (approximately USD 4,658) to 
designated charities. 
 
3.  (SBU) Wu Zhai-Zhao (Wu), individually, and Chanto Air Hydraulics 
Co., Ltd. (Chanto):  On August 22, 2006, Wu, through Chanto, 
attempted to export air and pneumatic presses, items on Taiwan's 
Sensitive High Tech Commodity List, to Eadenegar Company in Iran, 
without the required BOFT authorization.  Wu arranged for the 
presses to be shipped from Kaohsiung Harbor to Abbas, Iran, through 
Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.  On September 27, 2007 the 
Prosecutors Office deferred prosecution of Wu and Chanto for one 
year with a payment of NTD 80,000 (approximately USD 2,484) by Wu. 
According to MJIB, this was the first offense by Wu and Wu showed 
great remorse for his action, both considered mitigating factors by 
the Prosecutors Office. 
 
OPEN CASES 
 
4.  (SBU) From March through September 2003, Johnson Trading & 
Engineering Co. (Johnson Trading) imported controlled items, 
including military-use standardized electronic chips, from the 
United States under the names of Opto Tech Corp., Chung Shan 
Institute of Science and Technology, and Aerospace Industrial 
Development Corp.  Johnson Trading then exported these commodities 
from Taiwan to China without the required BOFT authorization.  The 
MJIB referred the case to the Ban Chiao District Court Prosecutors 
Office for prosecution.  The case is pending. 
 
5.  (SBU) In January 2007, C-TEK exported twelve sets of electric 
discharge machines, which have military applications, to Iran by 
falsely stating that the machines were destined for the Republic of 
Samoa and by providing incorrect tariff codes.  In fact, the 
machines were destined for Bohr Corporation in Iran.  The electric 
discharge machines were on Taiwan's Sensitive Commodity List and 
required export authorization from BOFT to export to Iran.  The MJIB 
Taichung County Office began investigating the case in mid-March 
2007.  The case is pending in the Taichung Prosecutors Office. 
 
6.  (SBU) On or about November 24, 2006, Edda Industrial Co., Ltd. 
(Edda) exported to North Korea through China Y-Strainers, items on 
Taiwan's Sensitive Commodity List, without the required BOFT 
authorization.  The MJIB Taipei Office began investigating Edda in 
mid-June 2007.  The Y-Strainers, which could be used in nuclear 
programs, were exported from Keelung Harbor to Dalien, China, and 
then to Nan Pu, North Korea.  The case has been referred to the 
Taipei District Prosecutors Office for prosecution.  The case is 
pending. 
 
END SUMMARY 
 
7.  (U) In addition to the above cases, the following enforcement 
action against Royal Team Corporation appeared in the 
English-language Taipei Times on December 28. 
 
BEGIN ARTICLE 
 
Three businessmen indicted for illegal trade with North Korea: 
 
Taipei prosecutors yesterday indicted three businessmen on charges 
of violation of the Foreign Trade Act after their companies exported 
restricted products to North Korea. 
 
"North Korea was very persistent in its bid to develop nuclear 
weapons.  The actions of the three defendants actually helped it to 
become a more dangerous threat to its neighbors," said prosecutor 
Chang Shu-hua in the indictment. 
 
Chang's remarks referred to Royal Team Corporation's (Chinese name 
of the company is Huayueh trading company) business with Korea 
Daespongsan Information Technology Exchange Corp of North Korea 
between August last year and July, despite the fact that North Korea 
is listed on the Ministry of Economic Affairs list of countries 
where trade in sensitive products that can be used for military 
purposes is prohibited. 
 
Prosecutors discovered that Royal Team Corp exported computer hard 
drives, DVD burners, aluminum, infrared binoculars, laser printers 
and laptops to the North Korean company. 
 
All the products were shipped via Macau for transfer to North Korea. 
Prosecutors said the products sold to North Korea could be used for 
military-related development or the production of advanced weapons. 
 
Royal Team Corp president Liu Ker-hua, general manager Liu Chen-yi 
and sales representative Chen Shu-chen all cooperated with 
prosecutors during questioning and admitted to the violations. 
 
Chang said that the three defendants violated Article 27 of the 
Foreign Trade Act and could face a potential sentence of up to two 
years and a fine of up to NT300,000(US$89,00). 
 
But since the three defendants do not have criminal records and as 
they promised prosecutors there would be no repeat of the violation 
in the future, Chang suggested in his indictment that judges suspend 
the defendants' sentences, meaning that the charges would be dropped 
if the defendants do not reoffend during the duration of the 
suspension. 
 
END ARTICLE 
 
8.  (SBU) On December 19, the EXBS Advisor met with the Kaoshiung 
Customs, the Kaoshiung Harbor Police, and the Kaoshiung Harbor 
Bureau.  The main purposes for the meetings were to express 
appreciation for their support and attendance at EXBS programs and 
to seek information on the types of programs that would be most 
useful to Taiwan's enforcement personnel.  The EXBS Advisor also met 
with the U.S. Container Security Initiative Team in Kaoshiung. 
 
9.  (SBU) On December 20, Economic Chief and the EXBS Advisor met 
with officials of BOFT.  The first part of the meeting was with Wu 
Hsin-Hua (James), Deputy Director General of BOFT and staff.  The 
second part of the meeting was with just Huang Chih-Peng, Director 
General of BOFT.  During both parts of the meeting, the Advisor 
briefly explained EXBS goals in Taiwan and expressed gratitude for 
such high level attention and support for the training programs. 
The Advisor also informed BOFT that the EXBS focus for 2008 would be 
on programs related to industry awareness, such as the Internal 
Control Program and Denied Parties Screening Tool software 
developments.  They seemed interested and impressed that EXBS would 
be able to fund such software developments.  Both DDG Wu and DG 
Huang were familiar with EXBS and Gameplan objectives.  They both 
conveyed continued support and appreciation for EXBS trainings 
conducted for Taiwan. 
 
B.  BLUE LANTERN: 
 
(U)  On December 27, the EXBS advisor conducted a site visit 
pursuant to a Blue Lantern Check request and reported results to 
State/PM/DDTC. 
 
C.  TRAINING CONDUCTED DURING REPORTING PERIOD: 
 
(U) No training was conducted during the reporting period. 
 
III. UPCOMING TRAINING: 
 
1. (U) A three-day Commodity Identification Training program, 
implemented by the Department of Energy, is being planned for 
February 2008 in Kaohsiung. 
 
2. (SBU) A two-day Wassenaar Arrangement Update Meeting, lead by 
State/ISN/CATR, is notionally scheduled for the first week of March 
2008. 
 
3. (U) Preparatory meetings for Internal Control Program and Denied 
Persons Screening Tool software development are being planned for 
the end of March to April time frame. 
 
IV. UPCOMING MEETINGS 
 
1.  (SBU) On January, the Advisor will speak at the monthly meeting 
of Keelung Harbor Police on EXBS programs.  Approximately 60 police 
personnel are expected to attend. 
 
2.   (SBU) On January 31, the EXBS Advisor will attend the 
Taiwan-Japan Industry Outreach Seminar. 
 
V. RED FLAG ISSUES: 
 
None. 
 
POC for this report is Mi-Yong Kim, EXBS Advisor. 
Telephone +886 2 2162 2347. 
 
YOUNG