Only 3.2 kilometers from China, but islanders remain calm
Off this small island of Taiwan, China’s weapons abound
Taiwan’s small Kinmen Islands lie just off China. Islanders can see the skyline of nearby Chinese metropolis Xiamen. Troops and combat equipment are mobilized there. On Kinmen, however, one remains calm.
Kinmen is a small island group administered by Taiwan. Which is just off China. The skyline of the Chinese metropolis of four million people, Xiamen, is just 3.2 kilometers from Kinmen. There, China is launching its largest military maneuvers in history around Taiwan. But on Taiwan’s Kinmen Islet, just off the Chinese coast, all seems calm. Residents are, still, at ease.
Kinmen has always been between the fronts. As early as 1960, when Dwight D. Eisenhower (1890-1996) was the only incumbent US President to visit Taiwan: half a million people cheered Eisenhower on June 18, 1960 in Taipei. China, on the other hand, was bombing Taiwanese territory the moment Eisenhower landed. But not the main island, which is slightly smaller than Switzerland in terms of area. But Kinmen.
The Chinese reportedly fired 30,000 projectiles at Kinmen during Eisenhower’s visit «Washington Post». There were dead, injured and damaged buildings. Today, Kinmen is known for the meat cleavers made from the ancient Chinese artillery shells.
opponents in sight
The islets are now a popular destination for Chinese tourists too. But loudspeaker announcements, military barricades on the beaches and secret tunnels are a constant reminder that Kinmen is still a front line between China and Taiwan. The islands are also compared to the demarcation line between North and South Korea. Kinmen is not a death strip bristling with weapons. Kinmen has pretty houses, souvenir shops, temples and lots of nature.
The troop movements of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) are now also concentrated in front of Kinmen. The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is currently mobilizing combat equipment in the Chinese coastal city. Videos on social media show tanks roaming the streets of Xiamen and on the beach.
«Business as usual»
The world looks at the region. But on Kinmen of all places, located directly in front of China, “business as usual” prevails. It is there as always, says the US journalist Ed Moon, editor at the news portal “Taiwan Plus”.
Moon is currently on Kinmen. The population is by no means concerned. “The danger of war seems far away to the people here,” writes Moon on Twitter. “Despite the military build-up in nearby Xiamen.” (kes)