Man who sailed from China to Taiwan in rubber boat charged as Chinese jets circle island

TAIPEI: The man who swam across Taiwan A strait from China in a rubber boat was accused of illegally entering the island, while an unusually large number of Chinese fighters flew through the area, clearly demonstrating strength.
The Chinese man, identified only by his surname Wang, reportedly made the five-day journey in a light open boat in September to “seek freedom”.
His landing in the northern area of ​​Linkou shocked many Taiwanese, who questioned how he had apparently evaded the island’s navy and coast guard.
Wang is being held incommunicado, a reflection of ongoing tensions between Taiwan and China, which claims the island and sent 27 warplanes and six ships near Taiwan overnight.
In its indictment earlier this month, the New Taipei City Prosecutor’s Office said Wang, 32, called 911 after his boat ran aground around 6:00 a.m. on September 14, 2024.
Wang had 10 solar charging panels and 10 oil barrels, as well as weather information on his phone, according to the indictment.
China sends warplanes and ships near Taiwan on a daily basis, part of a strategy to intimidate the island’s voters and deplete the equipment and morale of the armed forces. Taiwan responds by raising aircraft, sending ships and activating coastal missile defense systems. Despite Chinese troops crossing the center line of the Taiwan Strait that separates the sides, no incidents have been reported.
The number of assets sent varies widely for reasons that are mostly unknown unless they coincide with a diplomatic move by Taiwan to assert its independence.
China has also targeted serving and retired Taiwanese military personnel, and in the most recent reported case, a retired lieutenant general was accused, along with others, of receiving about $300,000 or more from China to form an armed group that would act as a fifth column. in the event of an attack by China. There was no word on whether Cao An-kao or any of his alleged co-conspirators had found the recruits, according to a statement released Wednesday.
Taiwan’s government has warned that China is massively ramping up “gray zone” attacks on Taiwan through social networks such as TikTok and personal contacts.