Taiwan says it hopes to bring back soldier who went to China

Taiwan’s defence minister has said the self-ruled territory’s government is investigating the disappearance of a soldier serving on an offshore island who has been found in China.

Speaking to reporters at parliament, Chiu Kuo-cheng said: “We certainly hope to bring him back home. So how will we get him back? There are alternative channels we are pursuing.”

He did not elaborate on those channels.

The minister denied what he called rumours that the soldier had fled from abusive treatment by the military.