Taipei, May 10 (IANS): A senior military official who once headed Taiwan's Air Defence Missile Command was arrested for alleged espionage in favour of China, the Taiwan Defence Ministry said on Wednesday.

Major General Hsieh Chia-kang, deputy chief of the Army's command for the defence of Matsu, a small island off the coast of China's Fujian Province, has been arrested, Efe news reported.

Hsieh was head of the missile command, which consists of several important battalions and missiles -- Patriot III, Sky Bow II and III and HAWK, as well as strategic counterattack missiles (ground-to-ground) and Hsiung Feng missiles.

Investigation Bureau agents on Tuesday searched Hsieh's residence in Pingtung, and arrested him.

He was questioned and later turned over to the Ciaotou District Prosecutors Office.

Taiwan's Defence Ministry said it suspected that Hsieh has been hired by China not only to spy but also to create a spy network.

In recent years, there have been several cases of espionage by Taiwanese military and security agents in favour of China, but most were retired officers.