TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Prosecutors have issued a warrant for the arrest of a soldier who swam to China, and will ask the communist country to extradite the alleged deserter, reports said Friday (March 17).
The soldier, named as Chen Chia-hsun (陳嘉壎), missed the March 9 morning roll call on the island of Erdan in Kinmen County, less than 5 kilometers from the coast of the Chinese province of Fujian. Initial fears centered on Chen having been swept away by the waves, but it soon emerged he voluntarily swam in the direction of China and was picked up by the Chinese coast guard.
Kinmen prosecutors said Friday they issued an arrest warrant valid for 20 years. They will contact the Ministry of Justice next week to help facilitate Chen's extradition from China.
Their investigation, which included a visit to Erdan on Friday, indicated that Chen might have fled because of financial problems, though it was not possible to reach valid conclusions as long as they were unable to question him, CNA reported. Relationship issues, disciplinary problems, and attempted suicide had been ruled out as motives,and no accomplices have been implicated, according to the investigators.