On the eve of the Han Guang military exercise, two mainland Chinese men crossed to Taiwan by inflatable dinghy. The dinghy they used was spotted by fishermen who reported the incident to the Coast Guard. The two individuals were arrested by the Coast Guard on July 30. Due to the sensitive timing of the event, it has attracted the attention of national security agencies who are currently investigating the identities and motives of the two men.
The 2026 annual Han Guang military exercise in Taiwan began on August 5 and will last for 10 days and 9 nights. According to reports from media outlets such as ETtoday, on July 24, fishermen at Ba Li Beach in Taipei discovered an unmanned inflatable dinghy. On board, they found oil barrels made in mainland China, toilet paper with simplified Chinese characters, Pepsi cans, fishing rods, 3 life jackets, and other items, which prompted them to report the discovery.
On August 11, the Coast Guard confirmed that after receiving the report on July 24, they conducted a search through surveillance footage of surrounding areas and roads. On July 30, they apprehended two mainland Chinese men, a 35-year-old man named Luan and a 44-year-old man named Yu at a park in Taoyuan. They were then transferred to the Immigration Office for detention. On August 3, the Shilin District Court ruled for their detention and denied visitation. As three life jackets were found on the inflatable dinghy, the possibility of a third individual is still under investigation.
The illegal border crossing occurred on the eve of the Han Guang military exercise, and since Ba Li Beach is close to the political and economic center, it has raised concerns among national security agencies. They are currently investigating the identities and motives of the two individuals.
According to the Coast Guard, from 2025 to date, Taiwan has experienced a total of 29 cases of illegal border crossing involving 71 individuals. Among them, 22 cases involving 61 people have been apprehended, while 10 individuals remain at large. The Coast Guard is enhancing coastal patrols, maritime surveillance, and accelerating the procurement of AI-guided, unmanned surveillance equipment to ensure national security and maritime safety.