Taipei: A Taiwanese soldier who went missing last week while stationed on an island near China has been found in the mainland, the government said.
The soldier, identified only by his family name Chen, was reported missing on Thursday after morning roll call on Erdan Island, which lies just 5km off the mainland coast.
“It has been confirmed that he is in mainland China,” said Chiu Tai-san, head of the Mainland Affairs Council, Taiwan’s top policy-making body on China.
When asked if Chen had deserted his post, Chiu said the government would “follow up on the situation”.
“The defence ministry has relevant mechanisms for identifying deserters,” he added.
The defence ministry, which formed a task force to search for the soldier, has so far not commented on his presence in the mainland.
Chen is a staff member in a kitchen at the Lieyu Garrison Battalion on Erdan, according to the Taiwanese military.
Erdan is one of the Kinmen islands, which lie close to Xiamen.
The soldier’s disappearance comes at a time of heightened tensions between China and Taiwan, which Beijing considers its territory and has vowed to take one day, by force if necessary.
Chinese sabre-rattling towards Taiwan has become more pronounced in recent years. — AFP