A Taiwan farmer in his 50s who ran out of money while traveling on the mainland since last July should be on his way back to the island today after receiving support from Shenzhen's help center.

Lin Dingwen, 56, told the Shenzhen Daily in substandard Mandarin yesterday afternoon that he came to Shenzhen via Hong Kong on July 17, 2006. He spent all his 20,000 New Taiwan dollars (US$555.50) in about 20 days, but didn't want to go back because of the political turmoil there, he said.

As a member of the People First Party, Lin said he was disgusted with the incessant "Taiwan independence" movement of the Democratic Progressive Party members around him.

So he decided to travel around the mainland, and in particular visit Hengyang in Hunan Province, the hometown of Song Chuyu, chairman of the People First Party, and Ma Ying-jeou, chairman of Kuomintang. He flew to Hong Kong from Kaohsiung, where his cousin lives, and arrived in Shenzhen via Huanggang Checkpoint on the afternoon of July 17.

Lin spent a couple of weeks traveling in Shenzhen, Dongguan and Guangzhou. However, he spent all his money in about 20 days. "I had to live outdoors, and drank only underground water for 15 days," he said. Lin said he lost about 11 kilograms, and once weighed less than 50kg.

Lin said he wrote three letters to his brother in Tainan and his cousin in Kaohsiung, asking for money, but received no response. He couldn't call them as he had no money left.

Still Lin managed to visit Hengyang, where he stayed for about a month.

Local police bought him a ticket and sent him back to Shenzhen, where he had to live on food strangers gave him before Longgang police found him and sent him to the Longgang Help Center.

"In Shenzhen many kind people took pity on me. I was given delicious steamed stuffed buns, and 20 yuan (US$2.5) in Shatoujiao the other day," Lin said.

Lin said he wanted to change the money into Hong Kong dollars and go back to Taiwan via Hong Kong. But he was refused by Hong Kong Immigration Department on Friday morning and sent back to Shenzhen.

Then, Futian police picked him up and sent him to the Shenzhen Help Center.

Lin said he was treated well in the help center. His weight has increased to 58 kg and he said he was healthy except for feeling dazed sometimes.

Xiao Zunshi, vice director of the Shenzhen Help Center, said he would contact the Taiwan Affairs Office in Shenzhen today, to help him go back home.

Xiao said it was the first time the station had received a Taiwanese.

Editor: Yan