The official media reported that Ching, who was arrested April 22 and then kept under house arrest by the National Security Bureau, received millions of Hong Kong dollars from Taiwan's intelligence authority to obtain ``top secret'' or ``confidential'' political and military information.

Irene Ngoo, a spokeswoman for The Straits Times said the newspaper was notified of the Friday arrest and charge by China's embassy in Singapore.

``We have already expressed our request for a direct meeting with Ching and to seek legal representation for him,'' she said. ``The Chinese embassy has agreed to convey our request to the mainland authorities.''

The charges are more serious than many Hong Kong observers expected and raise the possibility that Ching will face substantial jail time in China rather than being released and expelled within a few weeks, as some had thought.

Ong Yew-kim, a China expert and researcher for the Chinese University's Institute of Asia-Pacific Studies, said that Ching could receive a jail term of more than 10 years because of the severity of the charges.

Xinhua News Agency said Taiwanese security authorities recruited the 55-year-old Ching and gave him the alias of Chen Yuanchun in early 2000.

Ching, Xinhua said, established a number of espionage channels both in Hong Kong and the mainland between early 2000 and March this year.

The report said Ching either bought or obtained through other means a great deal of information about mainland political, economic and military affairs, including some classified as ``top-secret'' or ``confidential,'' and passed them on to Taiwan intelligence.

``The Taiwan intelligence had on different occasions given several million Hong Kong dollars to Ching for him to use in espionage activities,'' the Xinhua report alleged.

The news agency said Ching had confessed to his spying activities but that the case is still being processed.

Ching's wife Mary Lau could not be reached for comment Friday, but was quoted as saying she was shocked at the charge.

Lau is believed to be discussing with her family their plan of action.

Lau has previously said she believed Ching's arrest was the result of his attempts to acquire an interview manuscript of the late Communist Party chief Zhao Ziyang, which he received before his arrest in Guangzhou April 22.

Zhao, who died in January, was one of the few leaders who opposed the crackdown on pro-democracy students at Beijing's Tiananmen Square on June 4, 1989.

Lau said earlier that Ching had worked with an academic at a Chinese government think-tank, who is now being held on suspicion of leaking state secrets, but was adamant that her husband had done nothing wrong and that he was set up.

International journalists' groups had pressed Beijing to release Ching or at least provide evidence of his supposed wrongdoing. The United States has also criticised his detention.

According to Chinese University's Ong, ``those convicted of espionage charges are sentenced to between five and 10 years of imprisonment, while those in the more serious cases get more than 10 years. According to the Xinhua report, Ching's charge is a serious one.''

Ong did not rule out the possibility that Ching, a local resident, might be expelled and sent back to Hong Kong after the court delivers its judgment.

``This will depend on the existing political conditions. If the relationship between the mainland and Taiwan needs to be improved, there is a possibility Ching will be sent back to Hong Kong,'' he said.

Joseph Wu, chairman of the Taiwan's policy-making Mainland Affairs Council would not say whether Ching was working as a spy for Taiwan. He only said he hoped Beijing would consider the impact the case would have on the freedom of the press in Hong Kong.

``We fear this could be a central government move to warn the media and journalists in Hong Kong that if their behavior and rhetoric do not conform with the central government's expectations, they might get the same treatment as Ching,'' said Wu.

Asked whether Ching had been spying for Taiwan, Mainland Affairs Council vice-chairman Michael You said: ``We have no knowledge of it.''

``[But] we believe Ching Cheong, as a journalist and a person, should be protected by the due process of law and given a fair, just and open trial as early as possible.''

But Gao Siren, the director of the Central Government Liaison Office in Hong Kong, said local journalists have nothing to fear if they act in accordance with mainland laws.

Former Democratic Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong chairman Tsang Yok-sing said he hopes Beijing would be lenient.

``But it would be too naive to expect that Ching will be expelled from the mainland or deported to Hong Kong shortly after the court judgment,'' he said.

Secretary for Security Ambrose Lee said officials from his bureau will continue meeting with Ching's family and render what help they could.

``We will also act as a bridge between the authorities in Beijing and the family. If we have any further information on Mr Ching, we will notify the family,'' he said.

The Hong Kong Journalists Association expressed grave concern and urged mainland authorities to deal with Ching's case in a manner that is ``open, fair and consistent with the rule of law.''

Hong Kong Human Rights Monitor said the decision to accuse Ching of spying without providing any evidence was unconvincing.

Xu Simin, the editor-in-chief of The Mirror, a pro-Beijing publication, and a former Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference member, said if the mainland failed to provide any evidence to prove the allegations, he will denounce the arrest.

michael.ng@singtaonewscorp.com