A Hainan court sentenced a Taiwanese man to four years in prison Thursday on charges of spying.

Song Xiaolian was convicted of receiving money from Taiwan's military spy agency and providing information on military conditions, Xinhua News Agency reported.

Song was among seven Taiwanese detained late last year and charged in January with spying. All seven confessed, earlier reports said.

Song, whose name also is spelled Sung Hsiao-lien, received US$600 from Taiwanese military intelligence, Xinhua said.

He was recruited by a Taiwanese surnamed Tong with ties to Taiwan's military spy agency, Xinhua said.

(Agencies via Shenzhen Daily July 16, 2004)