Taiwanese film director Doze Niu has been given a suspended sentence for taking a Chinese cinematographer to a naval base on a location-scouting trip for a film project.
The Kaohsiung District Court on Friday sentenced Niu to five months in prison with a two-year probation for violating a law that bans Chinese nationals from entering Taiwanese military facilities. The court also ordered that Niu should pay a NT$600,000 (US$20,000) fine and do 60 hours of community service.
In June last year, Niu took a Chinese cinematographer on a visit by his film crew to a naval base in the southern city of Kaohsiung. Military security officers checked the Chinese cinematographer’s identification before the film crew entered the base, but the military later discovered that he had entered the base using the identity of a Taiwanese citizen. The navy decided to end its cooperation with Niu on the film project after the incident came to light and reported him to prosecutors.
On Saturday Niu said he would not appeal the court ruling.