2 admit writing against the State

Taiwan resident Lee Ming-che and Peng Yuhua from the Chinese mainland pleaded guilty on Monday to subversion in a court in Hunan province.

The two confessed to inciting subversion of State power by writing and spreading information about distorted facts and hostilities against the Chinese government and the political system on social media between 2012 and 2016, according to a statement by the province’s Yueyang Intermediate People’s Court.

“I regretted conducting such serious criminal acts against the government, with no regard for law on the Chinese mainland,” said Lee, 42.

He testified that he had been mislead by Western and Taiwan media and gained a wrong perception of development on the Chinese mainland.

Peng, 38, said: “I am sorry for what I did and the trouble I made for both society and my family.”

Their lawyers requested lenient punishment to the court for the pair’s good attitude in admitting the offense because both defendants expressed remorse. The court said a verdict will be announced at a later date.

The indictment said Peng set up a chat group called liang’an lianshou, or join hands across the straits, via QQ, an instant messaging tool, in May 2012 in which he attacked the Chinese mainland’s social system.

Four months later, Peng invited Lee to the group after Lee shared some of the information Peng posted on Sina Weibo, a Chinese Twitter-like platform, it said.

Peng renamed the group weiguan zhongguo, or watch China, and built another QQ group for the core members. He uploaded materials and videos in the group, of which, most attacked the Chinese political system and promoted the idea of multiparty rule, and asked its members to write reports, it said.

Later, an organization called Meihua was established after Peng discussed with Lee several times, as well as a guideline that aimed to create a new political party and to overthrow the Chinese government and political system was drafted, it said.

Lee admitted in court to writing and disseminating articles on chat groups attacking the government and its political system. He admitted to sensationalizing prominent social issues and slandering the government.