The arrest on the island of Menghu comes amid China's ongoing mass military drills at several locations encircling Taiwan's main island. A statement says the man attempted to cross to the small island, which is only a few miles off the coast of China, in a rubber dinghy.

People look at a giant screen showing news footage of military drills conducted in the Taiwan Strait and areas to the north, south and east of Taiwan, by the Eastern Theatre Command of the Chinese People's Liberation Army (PLA),

China has launched massive military exercises surrounding Taiwan in response to the island refusing to follow the rule of the Communist Party.