Seven Taiwan residents on charges of spying for Taiwan's military said Friday they were used by the military intelligence authorities of Taiwan to collect intelligence on the Chinese mainland.

The alleged spies, Fu Hongzhang, Lin Jieshan, Song Xiaolian, Wang Changyong, Zhang Genghuan, Zhang Yuren and Tong Taiping, separately met reporters from the mainland, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Japan in the provinces of Guangdong, Fujian, Hainan and Anhui.

"I feel regret because I was cheated by Chen Shui-bian," said Wang Changyong, who was detained with another suspect spy Zhang Genghuan in Fuzhou, capital of eastern Fujian Province. "He never cares about our life or death."

Wang acknowledged he began to collect intelligence for the military intelligence authorities of Taiwan in September 2002.

Zhang Genghuan said he collected intelligence about the People's Liberation Army's and missile deployment.

The detained Taiwan spies denied rumors that they had been questioned every day, saying they were well treated by police on the Chinese mainland.

"I was allowed to watch TV and read newspapers every day," said Song Xiaolian, who was under custody in southern Hainan Province.

Zhang Yuren, detained in Wuhu city of Anhui Province, confessed having been collecting militant intelligence for the Taiwan military intelligence authorities and expressed his indignation against Chen Shui-bian.

He told Xinhua that he had just phoned his brother in Taiwan and asked him not to let their mother know about his present situation. He choked with sobs when saying how much he missed his mother, wife and four children living in Taiwan.

Li Weiyi, spokesman for the Taiwan Affairs Office under the State Council, told a press conference on Wednesday that seven Taiwanese residents detained by China's state security department were spies sent by the military intelligence authorities of Taiwan.

State security departments of the Chinese mainland announced in late December that they had smashed a ring of intelligence agents, arresting 24 spies from Taiwan and 19 mainland citizens.

(Xinhua News Agency January 16, 2004)