Cablegate: Taiwan: Results of Blue Lantern Broker Check No. K-2304 And

VZCZCXYZ0004
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #1234 2890900
ZNR UUUUU ZZH (CCY ADC5B52C MSI8281-695)
R 160900Z OCT 09
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO SECSTATE WASHDC 2496

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 001234

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
C O R R E C T E D COPY CAPTION
STATE FOR EAP/TC, PM/DTCC AND ISN/MTR

PM/DTCC FOR BLUE LANTERN COORDINATOR RACHAEL-THERESE S. JOUBERT-LIN

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: ETTC KOMC TW
SUBJECT: TAIWAN: RESULTS OF BLUE LANTERN BROKER CHECK NO. K-2304 AND
K-2482

REF: (A) STATE 99473, (B) STATE 99474

1. (SBU) Summary: Per reftel requests, AIT/T econoff visited the two
subject companies, Evergo Instruments Incorporated (EII) and Evergo
Microwave Incorporated (EMI), which are both located at the same
address, and are headed by a husband-and-wife team. The information
collected demonstrates the bona fides of the subject brokers. End
summary.

2. (U) Evergo Microwave was established in 1994, and Evergo
Instruments in 1989. EII President Samuel S.S. Liao is the husband
of EMI head Mary Lu Liao. The registration information for both
companies, including contact numbers and addresses, matches the
information included in the database of the Ministry of Economic
Affairs Bureau of Foreign Trade. The combined Evergo companies have
offices in Taipei, Taichung, and Kaohsiung. In total, Evergo
companies have 17 employees. [Note: we were not able to talk with
Mr. Liao in person because he is a professor of engineering at Feng
Chia University, and lives in Taichung Monday through Friday. End
note.]

3. (SBU) Both companies import commodities from the U.S. to supply
customers in Taiwan only. Ms. Liao said because the companies have
had more difficulties and delays in receiving export licenses from
the U.S. over the past three years, they have tried to reach out to
Europe for additional suppliers. However, according to Liao, due to
corporate culture problems and differing regulations, Evergo
companies have not been able to serve successfully as an agent in
Taiwan for European manufacturers.

4. (SBU) The two Evergo companies handle commercial and military
items. Their commercial customers are public sector organizations,
schools, and private-sector testing labs. Their military-sector
clients are in almost all cases the Chung Shan Institute of Science
and Technology (CSIST) or the Aerospace Industrial Development Corp
(AIDC). Ms. Lu stated that she thoroughly understands USML
regulations.

5. (SBU) In most cases, the Evergo companies receive and then store
commercial and military-use items in the companies' warehouse for a
period of time ranging from a few days to a week before delivering
the items to end users. The Evergo companies also provide
maintenance services at each of their three offices. The Taipei
offices of EII and EMI are co-located in a gated office building
that has a 24-hour guard. The EII/EMI office itself is also
equipped with an alarm system.

6. (SBU) Post has no derogatory information in its records
concerning the two subject brokers. However, we learned through our
Taiwan law-enforcement sources that Ms. Liao was prosecuted but
acquitted for fraud in 1989. She was also investigated but not
charged for violating the Government Procurement Law in 2008 and for
forgery in 2009. Mr. Liao was also investigated but not indicted
for forgery in 2009, and is currently under investigation by the
Taoyuan District Court for another forgery case.

7. (SBU) Comment: Accusations of fraud, forgery, and other
business-related crimes are very common in Taiwan, and because
neither broker has been convicted of any crimes, we believe this
information does not call into question the bona fides of the two
brokers. End comment.

Stanton

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