Chinese 'dissident' naval officer enters Taiwan by speedboat

June 11, 2024 23:32

Chinese President Xi Jinping/Florence Lo/Reuters

A Chinese ex-navy captain, claiming to be a defector, caught Taiwan's navy off-guard by driving his speedboat directly to a pier outside the capital Taipei on Sunday.

The intrusion by a mainland Chinese man amid high-security measures in the midst of recurring tensions with China came in for strong criticism from Taiwan's top politicians.

China views Taiwan as a rebel province that must be reunified with the mainland, even by force.

The man, identified as Ruan, 60, was spotted 11 km off the coast of Tamsui in New Taipei.

After entering the Tamsui River, which leads to downtown Taipei, the boat hit a ferry at the pier, according to the coastguard, the Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported on Tuesday.

Ruan, who claimed to be a former Chinese navy captain, said he left Ningde port in China's coastal city of Fuzhou a day earlier.

However, Taiwan's coastguard said no food or drink was found on the boat and the man did not appear to have a tan. According to the coastguard, the man said he was persecuted by mainland authorities for "making improper statements' and that he wished to flee to Taiwan. -- PTI

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