KINMEN (TVBS News) — Residents of Kinmen, an island controlled by Taiwan and a mere 3 kilometers away from China, are bracing themselves for the potential reemergence of conflict.
Kinmen bears the scars of the wars, particularly during the infamous 1958 Taiwan Strait Crisis when intermittent shelling from Communist Party (PRC) forces tormented the area.
As tensions escalate in cross-strait relations again, the concerned residents fear that history might repeat its tragic course.
Steve Lee, a Kinmen resident whose grandparents perished during China's attacks, speaks with a heavy heart: "We yearn for a peaceful era untouched by the war. We sincerely hope that those in power can ease tensions."
Many residents maintain strong bonds with Chinese cities across the waters during the peaceful era. Kinmen and Xiamen share a local dialect and a shared water supply, fostering a sense of kinship.
There are even calls for an inter-island bridge. Chinese tourists used to visit Kinmen in droves. However, the recent tensions have led to a gradual decline in tourism.
The tourism industry in Kinmen heavily relies on mainland Chinese visitors, making it vulnerable to the impacts of policy decisions from both sides of the Taiwan Strait.
Residing on an island with an imminent existential threat, each resident of Kinmen attentively monitors the dynamics of cross-strait relations, yearning for lasting peace.
