Debt-ridden Chinese man illegally tries to enter Taiwan, to be handed over to law authorities

The man was found on a rubber dinghy in waters near the northern city of New Taipei on Saturday, Focus Taiwan stated.

An official from Taiwan's Coast Guard Administration (CGA) said that they got information at 6:30am (local time) by the New Taipei Fire Department that a person was spotted near the Houkeng River estuary in New Taipei's Linkou District, which is along a coastal expressway. The official said that on reaching the spot, they discovered a rubber dinghy about 100 meters from the shore, Focus Taiwan reported.

Around 7am, CGA personnel, along with New Taipei firefighters, brought the 30-year-old Chinese man, Wang, to the shore from the dinghy. He was sent to the hospital as he was suffering from severe dehydration, Focus Taiwan quoted the CGA official as saying.

Wang said that he came to Taiwan to start a new life as he was heavily in debt back home in China.

A preliminary investigation found that he came to Taiwan on a 3.6m-long rubber dinghy, Focus Taiwan stated. It is believed that he departed from Niuweitang Beach in Ningbo, Zhejiang province in China, the CGA said.

Meanwhile, Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) told Focus Taiwan that the incident is currently being handled by the CGA and will later be transferred to law authorities for further investigation.

The MAC added that according to Article 10 of the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, "No people of the Mainland Area may enter into the Taiwan Area without permission of the competent authorities."

Citing the Immigration Act, the MAC stated that anyone entering Taiwan without permission will be sentenced to imprisonment for up to five years and/or be fined up to New Taiwan Dollar 5,00,000, Focus Taiwan reported.

As per Focus Taiwan report, CGA said the rubber dinghy was relatively small and moved at a slow speed or by drifting, which made it undetectable by radar. (ANI)