TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The New Taipei District Prosecutors Office has indicted a Chinese man for breaching immigration law and the Cross-Strait Act by riding a raft into Taiwan's territorial waters.

Prosecutors said that on Sept. 9, a 30-year-old man surnamed Wang (王) left Taizhou in China's Zhejiang Province aboard an inflatable rubber raft equipped with supplies, per CNA. During his journey, he used a solar panel to charge his phone and relied on an offline navigation app, OfflineMaps.

The indictment stated that Wang reached the coast near New Taipei's Linkou around 6 a.m. on Sept. 14. After his boat ran aground, he called emergency services, saying he had ridden a rubber raft to Taiwan to “pursue freedom” and was having difficulty reaching the shore.

First responders found the inflatable boat about 100 meters offshore, and Wang had visible sunburns. During the rescue, Wang said he had ridden to Taiwan because he admired its free society.

Records from Wang’s phone and internet history revealed that in early September, he visited the Chinese e-commerce platform Taobao, where he spent approximately 6,252 yuan (NT$27,446) on the inflatable boat, 3,690 yuan on an outboard motor, and 248 yuan on a solar charging panel, along with 10 fuel drums.

In addition, Wang’s phone contained wind forecast maps near Taiwan’s waters. At 9:22 p.m. on Sept. 8, he used Google to search for weather alerts for various counties and cities in Taiwan and used the website Windy to monitor ocean conditions.

During questioning, Wang admitted to entering Taiwan's territorial waters without permission. The New Taipei District Prosecutors Office has indicted him for contravening the Immigration Act and the Act Governing Relations between the People of the Taiwan Area and the Mainland Area.