Taipei: Taiwan’s Coast Guard Administration (CGA) announced the detention of two Chinese men who attempted to secretly reach Kinmen County’s Erdan Island on makeshift rafts earlier in the day.

According to Focus Taiwan, the CGA’s Kinmen-Matsu-Penghu branch spotted the two individuals using its thermal imaging system in waters southwest of the Lieyu Islands at 5:08 a.m. The men were found floating on polystyrene boards launched from a sampan, aiming to reach Erdan Island, which is located approximately 5 kilometers from Xiamen, China.

The CGA promptly dispatched two patrol vessels to the area and requested assistance from the Lieyu Garrison Command in apprehending the intruders. The suspects were captured at 7:53 a.m. They now face charges under the Immigration Act and the Act Governing the Relations between People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area, which could result in detention, a maximum prison term of five years, and a potential fine of up to NT$500,000 (US$16,573.96).

This incident occurs amid an ongoing investigation by Taiwanese authorities into two videos uploaded by a Chinese man claiming to have sailed solo to Taiwan in a rubber dinghy. In one of the videos, the man, with a Chinese accent, boasts of planting China’s national flag on Taiwanese soil.

The CGA reported a recent increase in cases involving small targets intruding into Taiwan-controlled waters, which are now a central focus of their efforts to counter “gray zone” activities, characterized by provocative actions that stop short of open conflict. Preparations have been made to prevent further small-scale intrusions at the nation’s maritime borders.

The CGA also noted that the incident could be linked to the first anniversary of President Lai Ching-te assuming office, potentially aiming to unsettle the Taiwanese public.