A former Chinese navy commander was arrested on Sunday after illegally entering Taipei harbour via speedboat, according to reports from Al Jazeera. The man, identified by Taiwan authorities as a 60-year-old officer of China's People's Liberation Army Navy with the surname Ruan, crossed the 160 km Taiwan Strait in a small boat. He claimed to be defecting, but officials suspect he might have been on a military reconnaissance mission to gauge Taiwan's response.
Investigation and interrogation underway
Ruan was detained by Taiwan's coast guard upon arrival. Taiwan's Ocean Affairs Council (OAC) president, Kuan Bi-ling, described him as "quite elegant and well presented." An investigation and questioning of Ruan are currently underway.
Context of the incident
Taiwan's Defence Minister Wellington Koo suggested that this incident could be another instance of China's "grey zone" tactics, which involve non-traditional methods like deploying boats and military aircraft over Taiwan to test the island's defenses. This incident follows a similar event in March when two Taiwanese fishermen ventured into Chinese territorial waters near the Kinmen Islands, resulting in the detention of one military officer by China.
Rising Tensions
The arrest occurs amid escalating tensions between China and Taiwan, raising concerns over potential military action by China to assert its claim over the self-governed island. The situation remains volatile as Taiwan continues to monitor and respond to such incursions.
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