In news from and about Taiwan this morning,

The Control Yuan is calling on courts to hand down tougher sentences for
military personnel convicted of spying for China and violating national
security laws.

It comes after the government watchdog investigated two cases involving
military personnel.

The investigations were carried out by the Control Yuan's Foreign Affairs and
National Defense Committee and Judiciary and Prison Administration Committee.

According to the committees, the average prison sentences handed down in
cases involving national security and military personnel from 2017 to last
year was too low.

Data shows such sentences handed down by district courts averaged 12.8
months, those handed down by the High Court averaged 18.1 month, while the
average sentence handed down by the Supreme Court stood at 27.8 months.

The Control Yuan says the average sentences are often lighter than those
handed down by courts for elected officials convicted of bribery or people
found guilty of trafficking in category 1 or 2 drugs.

And the government watchdog says the light sentences for violating national
security laws do not act as deterrent.