China court releases video of Taiwanese activist confessing to subversion

BEIJING: A Taiwanese activist on trial in China confessed yesterday to attempting to subvert the Beijing government, according to videos of his hearing released by Chinese authorities, although his wife refused to recognise the court’s authority.

Lee Ming-che, a community college teacher known for his prodemocracy and rights activism, went missing on a trip to mainland China in March.

China’s authorities later confirmed that he was being investigated on suspicion of damaging national security.

Lee said that he accepted the charge of subversion and expressed regret in videos of his comments released on social media by the Yueyang City Intermediate People’s Court in central Hunan province.

“I spread some attacks, theories that maliciously attacked and defamed China’s government, the Chinese Communist Party and China’s current political system, and I incited the subversion of state power,” Lee said, referring to comments written in an instant messaging group.

Lee stood trial alongside Chinese national Peng Yuhua, 37, who confessed to creating instant messaging groups and founding an organisation that sought to promote political change in China.

Lee had been involved in both, Peng said in testimony released on video by the court.

Taiwanese rights activist Xiao Yiming travelled to the mainland for the trial, but said he was barred from entering the courtroom. — AFP