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DATE=8/12/98 TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT NUMBER=2-236943 TITLE=CHINA/TAIWAN SPIES (S ONLY) BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON DATELINE=BEIJING CONTENT= VOICED AT: INTRO: A BEIJING COURT HAS SENTENCED A TAIWANESE BUSINESSMAN TO FOUR-YEARS IN PRISON FOR ESPIONAGE, BUT IT HAS EXEMPTED HIS THREE FELLOW DEFENDANTS FROM PUNISHMENT. CORRESPONDENT ROGER WILKISON REPORTS TAIWAN HAS EXPRESSED DISSATISFACTION WITH THE VERDICT, BUT SAYS IT RESPECTS BEIJING'S JURISDICTION IN THE CASE. TEXT: KOU CHIEN-MING WAS ACCUSED OF WORKING FOR TAIWAN'S MILITARY INTELLIGENCE. PROSECUTORS SAID HE AND HIS THREE COLLEAGUES ILLEGALLY ENTERED CHINA SEVERAL TIMES DURING THE PAST FIVE-YEARS AND ENGAGED IN POLITICAL, ECONOMIC, AND MILITARY ESPIONAGE UNTIL THEY WERE ARRESTED LAST MARCH. THE OTHER THREE MEN, WHO -- ALONG WITH THE 42-YEAR-OLD KOU -- WERE CONNECTED TO AN ORGANIZATION PURPORTEDLY ENGAGED IN CIVIL EXCHANGES BETWEEN TAIWAN AND CHINA, WERE ALSO CONVICTED. BUT THE THREE WERE EXEMPTED FROM PUNISHMENT FOR WHAT BEIJING'S OFFICIAL "XINHUA" NEWS AGENCY DESCRIBES AS -- MERITORIOUS SERVICES TO ATONE FOR THEIR CRIMES. XINHUA DID NOT ELABORATE. THE THREE ARE BEING EXPELLED FROM CHINA. TAIWAN HAS ALWAYS DENIED THE FOUR MEN ENGAGED IN ESPIONAGE OR WERE LINKED TO ITS MILITARY INTELLIGENCE AGENCY. WEDNESDAY, THE ISLAND'S SEMI-OFFICIAL "STRAITS EXCHANGE FOUNDATION" -- WHICH HANDLES LINKS WITH CHINA -- SAID, DESPITE NOT BEING ENTIRELY SATISFIED WITH THE VERDICT, IT RECOGNIZES BEIJING'S LEGAL JURISDICTION. (SIGNED) NEB/RAE 12-Aug-98 7:16 AM EDT (1116 UTC) NNNN Source: Voice of America .