Forget China's navy, Chinese small boats landings on Taiwan are a new
source of concern
[May 20, 2025]
TAIPEI (AP) — China has long sought to intimidate Taiwan with its
massive navy, air force and the world’s largest standing army, but it’s
mere dinghies that are now causing the most consternation.
Taiwan’s coast guard has documented five cases totaling 38 Chinese
citizens crossing the 160-kilometer (100-mile) wide Taiwan Strait
separating the self-governing island democracy from the authoritarian
Chinese mainland, according to the body's deputy director-general Hsieh
Ching-chin.
That includes at least one case posted to Douyin, the Chinese version of
TikTok, in which a man speaking with a strong mainland Chinese accent is
seen planting a Chinese flag on what he says is a Taiwanese beach.
Scenes in the background appear to show a stretch of coastline south of
the capital Taipei.
China claims Taiwan as its own territory, to be conquered by force if
necessary. The man has not been found or publicly identified, and
Taiwanese authorities are seeking to ascertain whether he received help
from anyone on the island.
Another case involved a father and son who were apprehended shortly
after reaching land, along with a man who came ashore at a fishing port
in a popular tourist area north of Taipei.
The small size of the boats, some just inflatables for having fun at the
beach, makes it difficult for Taiwan's radar to pick them up. More
cameras and other detection devices and manpower would be needed to
cover the vast spaces of inhospitable coastline surrounding the island,
but the terrain would make a Chinese D-Day-type landing highly
challenging.
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While such cases are not unheard of, they come amid a rise in
tensions between the sides, with Taiwan's President Lai Ching-te
designating China as an enemy to be defended against, and China
holding frequent military exercises seen as a rehearsal for an
invasion or boycott of Taiwan.
Those entering Taiwan illegally are liable to a fine of 500,000
Taiwan dollars ($16,666) and five years in prison, but such
penalties are usually waived as long as no one is hurt and there is
no property damage. In the 1990s, there was a wave of hijackings by
Chinese to Taiwan, but the perpetrators were sent home after serving
brief prison terms in Taiwan.
In addition to facing China's formidable military, Taiwan faces a
range of so-called "gray area" strategies, including in the media
and among entertainers hoping to grab a share of the massive Chinese
market. Taiwan has also deported the Chinese wives of Taiwanese men
for posting videos supporting a takeover of the island.
The small boat landings may be a further attempt to confuse and
undermine confidence among the public, Hsieh said.
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