Just Earth News | @justearthnews | 04 May 2021, 10:44 am Print
China Man Image: Wikipedia Creative Commons
Beijing: Taiwanese police said a Chinese man recently crossed the highly-militarized Taiwan Strait in a small rubber dinghy Saturday in search of "freedom and democracy".
According to police captain Shih Chun-hsu, the man, surnamed Zhou, was spotted late Friday evening near the port of Taichung after crossing the roughly 80 kilometer (50 mile) stretch of water from Fujian province, on China's east coast, reports CNN.
The man made the journey in a rubber dinghy fitted with an outboard motor carrying 90 liters of fuel.
Zhou was detained in the early hours of Saturday, and told police he had made a break for the island of Taiwan in search of 'freedom and democracy', reports CNN.
He is currently in quarantine.
Police have started investigating the matter.
The Taiwan Strait is one of the most militarized strips of water in the world, and is patrolled by both the Chinese and Taiwanese navies, reports CNN.
Tension between China and Taiwan has heightened in recent times.
- US drops 'Indo' from Indo-Pacific Command, returns to USPACOM after 8-year gap
- 'Gun gesture' controversy erupts at World Cup as Iranian footballer's celebration goes viral
- World Cup moment goes viral as Japanese supporters stay back to clean up stadium
- Viral videos show students leaving Stanford ceremony as ‘Free Palestine’ chants erupt during Sundar Pichai’s speech
- Horror in the sky: 12 killed as skydiving plane crashes moments after takeoff in US

