TAIPEI (TVBS News) — The Shilin District Prosecutors Office (士林地方檢察署) indicted a Chinese man, Ruan Fangyong (阮芳勇), on Wednesday (Aug. 14) for violating Taiwan's Immigration Act (入出國及移民法) after he illegally entered Taiwan by boat from China in June. Prosecutors found no evidence of military or national security crimes.
Ruan sailed alone from Ningde Port (寧德港) in China's Fujian Province on June 9 and collided with a boat at a ferry terminal in Tamsui, where Taiwan's coast guard officers arrested him. Investigators confirmed through phone records that he had no accomplices in Taiwan.
Ruan, a former captain of China's People's Liberation Army Navy, claimed he intended to defect to Taiwan after China restricted his travel. During his escape, it was found that Ruan carried only a small amount of foreign currency, including 60,000 Japanese yen.
While drifting at sea to avoid overheating his engine, Ruan’s boat was mistaken by the coast guard for one of the nearby fishing vessels. As he neared Taiwan’s northern coastline, Ruan sped up and accidentally hit a ferry, leading to his arrest.
Taiwan's Ocean Affairs Council (海委會) raised doubts about his defection claim, noting that he sailed for over a day without food, water, or signs of sun exposure. However, after a two-month investigation, the authorities concluded there was no evidence of a national security threat and indicted Ruan for violating the Immigration Act.