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.

Taiwan has condemned the latest round of Chinese military drills around the island as an “unreasonable provocation” after Beijing deployed warships and fighter jets as a “stern warning” to “separatist acts of Taiwan independence forces.

Japan has conveyed to China its concern over the military drills conducted around Taiwan on Monday, Japanese Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Kazuhiko Aoki told a regular press conference.