The Taiwan Coast Guard Penghu Branch of the Republic of China stated that on the morning of the 23rd, during a patrol in the waters around Dadan Island, coast guard officers discovered a Chinese man attempting to illegally cross the border using a swimming ring. He was immediately arrested and taken for investigation.
According to a press release from the Taiwan Coast Guard Penghu Branch, the 12th (Kinmen) Patrol Zone deployed the 9th (Kinmen) Coast Guard PP-10083 boat for a patrol around Dadan and Erdan Islands to enhance sea target search and management. At 10:20 am, the PP-10083 boat found a Chinese man swimming with a swimming ring about 0.7 nautical miles northwest of Dadan Island, attempting to cross from China to Kinmen’s Dadan Island.
The Taiwan Coast Guard promptly arrested the man and took him back to Luokang for further investigation, with the case being referred to the Kinmen District Prosecutors Office for handling. According to Article 74 of the Immigration and Emigration Act, Article 10 of the Cross-Strait Law, and Article 10 of the Fortress Stronghold Zone Law, the man may face up to five years of imprisonment, detention, or a fine of up to NT$500,000.
Dadan Island is located 2.38 nautical miles (4.4 kilometers) from Xiamen, China, with a shallow distance and very short reaction time. The 12th (Kinmen) Patrol Zone has integrated its forces to enhance various search efforts, monitoring continuously for any disturbances by Chinese Coast Guard ships and small maritime targets.
Whether it was the two Chinese stowaways caught on Erdan Island on May 20th attempting to cross using Styrofoam boards or today’s case involving a Chinese stowaway trying to swim to Dadan Island with a lifebuoy, the coast guard was able to intercept them successfully at sea, effectively preventing the increasingly frequent gray zone provocations by the Chinese Communist Party.
The Taiwan Coast Guard stressed that this case does not rule out the possibility of the CCP using stowaway incidents for cognitive warfare, “attempting to achieve the greatest disruption of our people’s morale with the least cost.” To effectively counteract the CCP’s escalating gray zone provocations, the Coast Guard continues to strengthen coastal and sea duties and has completed measures to strengthen coastal defense and related plans. They actively seek budget allocations for the establishment of coastal and sea surveillance technology equipment to ensure national security and social stability.