Taiwan’s coastguard is asking for some extra cash to beef up surveillance along the coast. Why, you ask? Well, because some sneaky folks from mainland China have been making secret landings on Taiwan’s sensitive shores using inflatable boats. The coastguard got a bit freaked out after a 41-year-old man and his 17-year-old son, known as the Song family, sailed to Taiwan illegally in a tiny 11-foot inflatable boat. These two troublemakers landed on Guanyin Beach in Taoyuan, a spot that’s usually reserved for military exercises. The next morning, they turned themselves in, claiming they were escaping persecution and looking for freedom in Taiwan.
And that’s not all that’s been happening on these shores. Just before Taiwanese leader William Lai Ching-te celebrated his first year in office, the coastguard caught two mainland Chinese nationals trying to sneak onto a little island in the Taiwan-controlled Quemoy archipelago using a small sampan. This father-son duo also made the journey across the Taiwan Strait in a boat, proving that these inflatable boats are getting quite the workout lately. Hsieh Ching-chin, the deputy head of Taiwan’s coastguard administration, spilled the beans on Monday, saying that the pair had set off from Pingtan in Fujian province, about 70 nautical miles away, with just enough fuel to make the crossing.
With all these sneaky landings happening, Taiwan’s coastguard is feeling the pressure to step up their game. It’s not every day that people from mainland China show up uninvited on Taiwan’s shores, so it’s time to amp up the surveillance. These inflatable boat escapades are no joke, and the coastguard needs to be on high alert to prevent any more surprise visits. Who knows what these mainland Chinese residents are up to, but one thing’s for sure – Taiwan is not their personal playground. The coastguard will need all the help they can get to keep these unwanted visitors at bay and protect Taiwan’s sensitive shores. So, let’s hope that the extra funding comes through, and the coastguard can get their hands on some top-notch surveillance gear to keep a closer eye on things. Not really sure why this matters, but hey, better safe than sorry, right?
