Taiwan says a soldier missing from an island off the Chinese coast has been found in China

Taipei (CNN) – The head of the China-Taiwanese Policy Agency said Monday that a missing Taiwanese soldier has been found on an island off the Chinese coast in mainland China.

The Taiwanese Ministry of Defense said in a statement Thursday afternoon that the soldier, surnamed Chen, went missing on Erdan Island after he went around on Thursday morning. The ministry said it had formed a special force to track down the soldier and determine the causes.

Erdan Island, part of the Taiwan-controlled Kinmen Islands, is located less than 5 kilometers from the Chinese city of Xiamen, according to the official Taiwan Central News Agency.

Chiu Tai-san, Taiwan’s mainland affairs council minister, said on Monday that China had informed Taiwan that the soldier was currently in mainland China.

Qiu said the two sides have communication channels to deal with emergencies and fight crime. “The Ministry of Defense and the Coast Guard Department are actively aware of the relevant progress and situation,” Qiu said, adding that the Ministry of Defense has mechanisms in place to determine whether a soldier should be identified as a deserter.

CNN has contacted Taiwan’s Ministry of Defense for comment.