BEIJING (AP) — A Chinese man who sailed a boat to a strategic river mouth in Taiwan was acting on his own and will be punished when he returns to China, the Chinese government said Wednesday.
Taiwanese authorities have detained the man, identified as a former Chinese Navy officer with the surname Ruan, according to the Central News Agency, an official Taiwanese media outlet. His apparent military background raised suspicions that the trip could be an attempt by China to test Taiwan’s detection and defense capabilities.
“This is purely his personal behavior,” said Chen Binhua, a spokesman for the Chinese Taiwan Affairs Office.
The authorities of the Democratic Progressive Party, which governs Taiwan, “do not have to be paranoid, raise hell and engage in political manipulation,” Chen said in response to a question at a news conference.
China claims self-governed Taiwan as part of its territory and says the island should remain under its control. The Chinese military often sends fighter jets and ships to the island, and last month held a large exercise with dozens of ships and aircraft.
The small boat was spotted off the coast of Taiwan on Sunday, but was apparently not intercepted until it began interfering with ferry traffic on the Tamsui River, which leads to the capital, Taipei, and empties into the 160-kilometre strait. (100 miles) separating Taiwan and China.
The Taiwan Strait is a key transit point for global trade but is also known for its strong winds and tides, prompting speculation about whether the small vessel had arrived on its own from the Chinese coast or departed from some kind of ship. nurse.
Transport links between the two sides have been restored over the past two decades, although China’s ruling Communist Party maintains strict restrictions on where serving and retired officers can travel.
AP
