A former leader of Taiwan's opposition Taiwan People's Party has been sentenced to 17 years in prison after being found guilty in a corruption case, drawing sharp criticism from the mainland, which accused Taiwan authorities of using the judiciary to target political opponents.

Ko Wen-je, the party's former chairman and a prominent political figure, was handed the sentence by a court in Taipei on Thursday. In addition to the prison term, Ko was stripped of civil rights for six years, according to court proceedings.

The mainland's Taiwan Affairs Office responded to the ruling later on Thursday, with spokesperson Zhu Fenglian saying Beijing had "noted the situation." She accused the administration of Taiwan leader Lai Ching-te of manipulating the legal system for political gain and suppressing dissent.

"The authorities are pursuing political self-interest by wielding judicial tools to crack down on opponents and imposing what amounts to 'green terror,'" Zhu said, using a term that refers to the ruling Democratic Progressive Party's party color. She added that such actions — characterized as "those who follow prosper, those who resist perish" — have sparked growing public dissatisfaction on the island.

Zhu warned that unjust actions would ultimately face opposition and rejection from the people of Taiwan.