Taipei [Taiwan], October 27 : A Chinese fisherman was sentenced to 80 days in detention and given a two-year suspended sentence on October 21 after being found guilty of illegal entry into Taiwan and criminal coercion in Keelung.
A year ago, the man, identified by his surname Jiang, docked his fishing boat at Keelung's Zhengbin Fishing Port and went ashore without permission early in the morning on October 2 to buy breakfast, Focus Taiwan reported.
During this unauthorised trip ashore, he encountered a young man waiting at a bus stop. According to the Keelung District Prosecutors Office, Jiang reportedly approached the teenager and forced his arms around him.
Following repeated rejections of his advances, Jiang released the teenager and returned to his boat. The teenager later contacted the local law enforcement authorities, who reviewed surveillance footage from the port and brought Jiang in for questioning.
The police subsequently transferred Jiang to the Keelung District Prosecutors Office, where an investigation led to charges of illegal entry under the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, reported Focus Taiwan.
Jiang was also charged with criminal coercion under Article 304 of the Criminal Code for hugging the teenager without consent.
As part of his sentence, Jiang was ordered to pay NTD 10,000 (USD 311.48) to the national treasury within a year of the court's final ruling. The ruling remains subject to appeal.
This case highlights ongoing tensions between Beijing and Taipei, as Beijing claims Taiwan as part of its territory, despite Taiwan's distinct democratic governance over the past seven decades, Focus Taiwan reported.
While Beijing continues to assert its sovereignty over Taiwan, Taipei has bolstered strategic ties with democracies around the world, including the United States, in defiance of Beijing's stance.
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