Taipei [Taiwan], May 18 : Two Chinese nationals were arrested earlier on Friday as they tried to enter the country by rubber boat illegally, landing at Guanyin Beach in Taiwan's Taoyuan, Taipei Times reported, citing Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration (CGA).
According to Taipei Times, the CGA confirmed that the two, a father and son, were apprehended, their 3.3-meter rubber boat confiscated, and then sent to prosecutors for investigation.
The Taoyuan District Prosecutors' Office identified the father as a 41-year-old man surnamed Song and has requested his detention on charges of illegal entry to Taiwan.
His 17-year-old son, however, was not detained due to his age and on the premise that he was just following his father's lead. He was later transferred to the National Immigration Agency's Special Operations Brigade, as reported by the Taipei Times.
As per Taipei Times, citing sources, Song reportedly claimed he fled China seeking "freedom" due to political persecution, though authorities have yet to confirm his motives.
The CGA noted that the vessel's small size made it hard to detect by radar, raising concerns of a possible "gray zone intrusion", especially as China has recently tested Taiwan's responses through covert activities during military exercises.
Since January, authorities have handled five smuggling cases involving 38 individuals, Taipei Times reported.
To strengthen its defence resilience and guarantee national security, the CGA stated that it is looking for funding to install coastal monitoring systems like thermal imaging cameras, increase patrol ship capacity, and buy additional equipment that improves stereoscopic monitoring capabilities.
Earlier on Thuraday, Taipei Times reported, citing Coast Guard Administration (CGA) Deputy Director General Hsieh Ching-chin that the country held talks with "certain countries" to conduct a joint humanitarian exercise in the Taiwan Strait as a response to China's increasing use of "gray zone" tactics and legal warfare.
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