Photo courtesy of the National Immigration Agency

Taipei, Feb. 27 (CNA) Chinese and Taiwan nationals held on both sides of the Taiwan Strait were exchanged for the first time this year by the National Immigration Agency and Chinese authorities at Nangan Township's Fu'ao Harbour in Matsu Tuesday.

As part of the exchange, Taiwan handed over 10 Chinese who illegally entered the country in exchange for a Taiwan fugitive surnamed Shih (施) who has been on the run for 30 years.

Shih fled to Xiamen in China from Lukang Township in Changhua after he was put on a wanted list.

The 10 Chinese nationals repatriated included a man surnamed Li (李) who was arrested and convicted in Taiwan of being part of a scam group that defrauds its victims. Li was sentenced to eight months for forging documents and fraud, but his sentence was commuted to a fine after five months in jail.

Others included a man and a woman surnamed Chen (陳) and Mo (莫), who were caught by Taiwan's coastguard attempting to sneak into Kinmen after their families refused to accept their relationship.

(By Huang Li-yun and William Yen)
Enditem/AW