How a Taipei-controlled island close to mainland’s coast shows the limits of both sides

Name: War scarred bunkers on Quemoy reflect the islands’ frontline role in Taiwan Strait tension
Uploaded: 2025-06-29T06:00:20.000Z
Description: War scarred bunkers on Quemoy reflect the islands’ frontline role in Taiwan Strait tension

Quemoy is administered by Taipei but has a front-row seat to Beijing’s cross-strait integration charm offensives

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On Quemoy, tourists look at Xiamen, a city in mainland China just 10km away. Jutting spikes and military checkpoints remain as reminders of Quemoy’s place in 20th century conflicts. Photo: AFP

Yuanyue Dangin Quemoy

Published: 2:00pm, 29 Jun 2025Updated: 8:41pm, 29 Jun 2025

On Quemoy Island, off the coast of Fujian province, people passing the statue of Chiang Kai-shek in the main residential area of Jincheng can see an inscription in Chinese characters: “Saviour of the Nation.”

In 2025, it is an oddity for Taiwanese and mainland Chinese alike.

In Taiwan, the ruling Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) has moved to erase Chiang Kai-shek’s legacy, with some viewing Chiang as a symbol of dictatorship and authoritarian rule, while on the mainland the man once seen as an enemy of the Communist Party is now a symbol of historical connection between the two sides of the strait.

Quemoy county has a population of 130,000 and consists of Quemoy Island, Little Quemoy Island and several islets. It is less than 10km (6.2 miles) from the mainland city of Xiamen but is administered by Taipei authorities based 200km away.

Once a front line in the Taiwan Strait conflict, Quemoy, also known as Kinmen, has transformed from a heavily militarised zone into a quiet community caught between two competing political systems. But a day trip to the island in mid-June and on-the-ground interviews show the clear limits both Beijing and Taipei face in influencing the island.

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War scarred bunkers on Quemoy reflect the islands’ frontline role in Taiwan Strait tension

During military stand-offs between the two sides, Taipei has seen Quemoy as a model for promoting its system of governance – the leadership in Taipei still touts it as a front line to deter the People’s Liberation Army.