A Chinese ex-navy captain, claiming to be a defector, caught Taiwan’s navy off-guard by driving his speedboat on to a pier exterior the capital Taipei on Sunday.
The intrusion by a mainland Chinese man amid high-security measures within the midst of recurring tensions with China got here in for robust criticism from Taiwan’s prime politicians.
China views Taiwan as a insurgent province that have to be reunified with the mainland, even by pressure.
The man, recognized as Ruan, 60, was noticed 11 km off the coast of Tamsui in New Taipei.
After getting into the Tamsui River, which results in downtown Taipei, the boat hit a ferry on the pier, in line with the coastguard, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported on Tuesday.
Ruan, who claimed to be a former Chinese navy captain, mentioned he left Ningde port in China’s coastal metropolis of Fuzhou a day earlier. However, Taiwan’s coastguard mentioned no meals or drink was discovered on the boat and the person didn’t seem to have a tan.
According to the coastguard, the person mentioned he was persecuted by mainland authorities for “making improper statements” and that he wished to flee to Taiwan.
He was being charged with violation of assorted Taiwanese legal guidelines together with breaching the Immigration Act.
The chance the Chinese speedboat incursion was a gray zone tactic by Beijing can’t be dominated out, Taiwan’s Defence Minister Wellington Koo mentioned on Tuesday.
Following this, the defence ministry would strengthen measures to forestall sudden vessel intrusions from China, Taiwan News reported.
Taipei mayor Hou You-yi referred to as it a critical safety lapse, particularly contemplating the pier is lower than 10 minutes from Taipei by boat.
“National border security cannot afford any lapses. This incident indicates that the coastguard and the first-line security reporting mechanisms were not effectively managed,” he mentioned.
China has intensified army drills involving its military, navy, air pressure and rocket pressure round Taiwan after Lai Ching-te, a pro-independence chief of the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) gained the Presidential election final month.
Source: www.indiatoday.in
