Taiwan looks to plug border holes after 2 landings by mainland Chinese men in small boats

Taiwan is intensifying efforts to prevent maritime borders being breached after mainland Chinese men used small boats to land on its coast twice in recent months.

Lawmakers have pointed to the two incidents – neither spotted by Taipei until the men turned themselves in – as representing possible weaknesses in the event of a military attack from the mainland.

According to the Taiwanese coastguard, boats managed to sail managed to sail undetected into waters near the capital Taipei.

One of the mainland men on board claimed he had a military background and the other said he was a member of the Communist Party.

The 30-year-old self-proclaimed party member, identified by his surname Wang, was arrested by the Taiwanese coastguard after calling the island’s emergency hotline on September 14 as his inflatable dinghy neared the shore at Linkou, south of Taipei.