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French film producer Antoine Vitkine has just released his excellent new documentary program ‘Triades - La mafia chinoise à la conquête du monde’ (Triads - The Chinese mafia conquers the world). The three part film is available on ARTE (hyperlink in the film title above) in French, with English and German subtitles.

Antoine Vitkine brings several decades of experience as a serious investigative journalist to give this insight into Triad societies. Vitkine has directed over twenty documentaries broadcast by French and international television channels, including Mein Kampf , Gaddafi, Our best enemy, Reagan and the cold war , What does the Pope want?, Populism, Europe in danger, The president and the dictator on the relations between Sarkozy and Gaddafi, Putin's Revenge , Magda Goebbels, the first lady of the Third Reich , and MBS, prince of Arabia.

Triads, Chinese organised crime organisations, have been mutual aid groups, personal networks amongst Chinese, organised criminal gangs, as well as associated with patriotism originating from the support in the 19th century of some for the restoration of the Ming Dynasty and overthrow of the Manchu Qing dynasty. Triads are often less well understood by Western law enforcement agencies, not least because of language difficulties as well as the cultural mythology of Triads that many have used to try to legitimise their activities.

This new film is unique as it carries interviews with senior Triad leaders from Taiwan, including Chang An Lo (張安樂) also known as the ‘White Wolf’ of the United Bamboo Gang (竹聯幫) and Tseng Ying-fu (曾盈富) of the Celestial Alliance (天道盟). The first hand insight from these Triads is an important means of improving the understanding of modern day Triads.

Vitkine has fascinating comments on camera from the complex Chang An Lo describing his Triad career. Chang recounts how he left Mainland China aged two years to go to Taiwan, and how in the 1960s he joined a Triad society created by the Nationalist Kuomintang (KMT) exiles. Chang joined the United Bamboo Gang, which helped to protect him after he stabbed a police officer and was punished with a fine of $100 ! Chang started making money in his Triad career in the gambling business, a staple business for Chinese organised crime groups that continues to be core to their funding.

Chang recalls the assassination in 1984 of Henry Liu by an agent of the United Bamboo Gang in cooperation with the Taiwanese Intelligence Bureau of the Ministry of National Defence, as punishment for his betrayal of Taiwan. Chang recounts how one of the arrested senior leaders of the Bamboo Union recorded a tape in which he detailed the involvement of the Triad in suppressing political opposition to the governing KMT and threatened to make this public if the government pursued them. Chang states that the Bamboo Union at its peak had 40,000 members and “ran all of Taiwan”. Chang was some years later arrested in the USA, where he was imprisoned with leaders of the Italian Mafia, the Black Panthers and Hezbollah. Vitkine explains how Chang An Lo has become a politician dedicated to the reunification of Taiwan with Mainland China.

Less complex than Chang is Tseng Ying-fu of the Celestial Alliance, elected as head of the “board of directors” who control around 300 branches of this Triad Society to coordinate their businesses in Taiwan and internationally, which include factories, banks, media outlets, and night clubs. Tseng, also known as ‘Iron Tyrant’, explains how he used to be “fierce and despotic” but now in his senior leadership role of the Celestial Alliance he tries to “harmonise” and be more diplomatic. Puffing on his cigar surrounded by Triad thugs, Tseng does not look like the model of a respectable businessman.

Tseng started his criminal career in a street gang, became associated with Triads whilst in prison, and gradually learnt the traditions of a secret society whilst becoming more senior in the hierarchy. He proudly clings to the legend of Triad Societies as the basis of the ‘honourable way’ of Triads by recounting their support of the Ming dynasty (1368–1644) and opposition to the Manchu Qing dynasty rulers from the 17th century. This legend of Triad societies’ opposition to the Qing Dynasty is a foundation myth which is now used by people such as Tseng to provide a legitimacy for their existence.

Vitkine explains how the original secret societies were not content with “defending the weak against the Qing”, but became criminal organisations that preyed on the population. Vitkine also does a good job explaining the subsequent historical development of Triads, including their occasional support for political causes when it suited them and the benefits this has provided for the perceived legitimacy of Triads.

The most troubling aspect of Vitkine’s excellent examination of the history of Triads and their modern day activities is how strong they remain in Taiwan. Although traditional Triad society structures were destroyed in Mainland China by the Chinese Communist Party after they took power in 1949, many Triads fled to Hong Kong or Taiwan and established safe havens in these territories beyond Chinese communist reach. The interviews with current senior as well as junior Triad members in Taiwan illustrates how much of their historical legacy they retain and consequently how entrenched they are.

Antoine Vitkine’s documentary is the most comprehensive film about the history as well as modern day status of Triads. This is essential viewing for anyone seeking to understand this criminal phenomena and how it may develop in the future.

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