TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Coast Guard on Tuesday said it detained two Chinese men on styrofoam floats in Kinmen waters and suspects China may have sent them that day to coincide with President Lai Ching-te's (賴清德) first anniversary.
At 5:08 a.m., the Coast Guard, using an infrared thermal imaging system, detected two Chinese men attempting to land illegally on Erdan Island, southwest of Kinmen County's Lieyu Township. The suspects were seen deploying polystyrene flotation boards from a small wooden sampan.
The Coast Guard immediately dispatched a patrol boat and a coastal patrol vessel to intercept the men. At 7:53 a.m., the two Chinese nationals were apprehended, and one sampan registered in China was seized.
The two suspects will be investigated for breaching the Immigration Act and the Cross-Strait Act. They face detention, up to five years in prison, and a fine of up to NT$500,000 (US$16,500).
The Coast Guard said its surveillance and reconnaissance efforts at sea and along the coast have long prioritized national security and maritime law enforcement. On Taiwan proper, the focus is on monitoring encroachments by Chinese fishing boats, maritime militia, research ships, and Chinese-owned ships that operate under flags of convenience.
In offshore islands such as Kinmen and Matsu, the priority is detecting small targets. Recently, the number of incidents involving incursions by small craft sent by the CCP has surged, becoming a key aspect of gray-zone harassment and cognitive warfare.
Following Lai’s inauguration on May 20 last year, China launched the "Joint Sword-2024A" military exercises around Taiwan. With Tuesday marking the anniversary of Lai’s inauguration, the Coast Guard said it does not rule out the possibility that this illegal entry incident was another CCP attempt at cognitive warfare, seeking to achieve the goal of maximum disruption to public morale at minimal cost.
A father and son were apprehended on Friday after they landed on a beach in Taoyuan in a small, inflatable boat. On Sunday, a Chinese man claimed that he crossed the Taiwan Strait in a rubber boat to plant a Chinese flag on a Taoyuan beach before returning to Fujian Province.
The Coast Guard hopes that during the Legislative Yuan’s review of the Special Act for Strengthening Economic, Social, and National Security Resilience in Response to International Circumstances on Wednesday, it will gain full support to ensure national security and social stability.
On April 24, the Cabinet approved the bill to enable it to draw an additional NT$410 billion to meet economic and security challenges facing Taiwan over the next two years, per CNA. Of those funds, NT$150 billion would be earmarked to strengthen Coast Guard operations, develop drone infrastructure, and upgrade information and communications systems and facilities.
