Taiwan vows to bring back missing soldier from China as questions over his ‘deserter’ status lurk

Soldier disappears from front-line island of Kinmen and found in mainland China

Taiwan president Tsai Ing-wen speaks during a news conference in Taipei on 27 January 2023 (REUTERS)

Taiwan’s defence minister vowed on Tuesday to bring back the soldier who disappeared from an offshore island and has now been found in mainland China.

Chiu Tai-san, minister of Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council, told reporters that China had notified them that the soldier, surnamed Chen, is currently in China.

“We certainly hope to bring him back home. So how will we get him back? There are alternative channels we are pursuing,” he said. But did not elaborate on what those alternative channels meant.