On Sunday, the Chinese man steered a speedboat straight into the mouth of the Tamsui River, informing Taiwan Coast Guard Administration (CGA) officials of his intention to surrender. The intruder was arrested and handed over to prosecutors for questioning.
The Chinese speedboat was found about six nautical miles off the mouth of the Tamsui River, which leads to Taiwan's capital, Taipei.
Kuan Bi-ling, minister of Taiwan's Ocean Affairs Council, which oversees the coast guard, told reporters on the sidelines of a legislative meeting that the detained Chinese man had previously served as a navy captain.
Kuan said it remained uncertain whether the Chinese captive actually wanted to seek independence or whether the approach was an attempt by China to test Taiwan's maritime security."It cannot be ruled out that this is a kind of test," Kuan said, referring to about 18 similar cases last year.
However, Kuan said that this time, the detained Chinese man appeared "quite sophisticated and well-presented", unlike those involved in other cases.
Taiwan's government Central News Agency said on Monday that the Chinese man is about 60 years old and his surname is Ruan. He reportedly drove a speedboat directly to the mouth of the Tamsui River, more than 200 kilometers from a fishing port in China's southern Fujian province.
Taiwan's Defense Minister Wellington Kuo said on Tuesday that the mouth of the Tamsui River is a key deployment area during the war.During peacetime, the site is jointly guarded by both the coast guard and the military, but Kuo said it could not be ruled out that China was using gray zone tactics to test Taiwan's limits. Used to be.
China considers Taiwan a part of the People's Republic. The island, with about 24 million inhabitants, has had an independent government since 1949.
Tensions across the Taiwan Strait have increased since President Lai Ching-te's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won the presidential election in January.sd/dan
The Chinese speedboat was found about six nautical miles off the mouth of the Tamsui River, which leads to Taiwan's capital, Taipei.
Kuan Bi-ling, minister of Taiwan's Ocean Affairs Council, which oversees the coast guard, told reporters on the sidelines of a legislative meeting that the detained Chinese man had previously served as a navy captain.
Kuan said it remained uncertain whether the Chinese captive actually wanted to seek independence or whether the approach was an attempt by China to test Taiwan's maritime security."It cannot be ruled out that this is a kind of test," Kuan said, referring to about 18 similar cases last year.
However, Kuan said that this time, the detained Chinese man appeared "quite sophisticated and well-presented", unlike those involved in other cases.
Taiwan's government Central News Agency said on Monday that the Chinese man is about 60 years old and his surname is Ruan. He reportedly drove a speedboat directly to the mouth of the Tamsui River, more than 200 kilometers from a fishing port in China's southern Fujian province.
Taiwan's Defense Minister Wellington Kuo said on Tuesday that the mouth of the Tamsui River is a key deployment area during the war.During peacetime, the site is jointly guarded by both the coast guard and the military, but Kuo said it could not be ruled out that China was using gray zone tactics to test Taiwan's limits. Used to be.
China considers Taiwan a part of the People's Republic. The island, with about 24 million inhabitants, has had an independent government since 1949.
Tensions across the Taiwan Strait have increased since President Lai Ching-te's Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) won the presidential election in January.sd/dan
