On Sunday, President Lai Ching‑te traveled to Kinmen, a frontline island just 2 km off the Chinese coast, to commemorate the 68th anniversary of the 1958 clash with Chinese forces. In heavy rain, he placed a wreath at the island’s memorial park and addressed veterans, emphasizing that peace can only be secured through strength.
Historical context
Kinmen and the nearby Matsu islands have been under the control of the Republic of China government since 1949, when it retreated to Taipei after losing the civil war to Mao Zedong’s communists. No formal peace treaty or armistice was ever signed, leaving the islands technically in a state of conflict.
The 1958 battle, known as the start of the second Taiwan Strait crisis, saw more than a month of Chinese bombardment of Kinmen and Matsu. Taiwan, with United States support, repelled the attack, and the date is observed annually as the day Taiwan fended off the Chinese assault.
Lai’s remarks
Speaking to veterans, Lai thanked those who “stood united and fought a bloody battle to repel Communist totalitarian aggression.” He warned that China’s “ambitions for external expansion” have persisted for 68 years, creating unease across the Indo‑Pacific.
“Our resolve to unite in defending national sovereignty and safeguarding peace across the Taiwan Strait must never waver,” Lai said. “Peace has never simply fallen from the sky.” He reiterated that the 1958 battle proved “peace is secured through strength” and called for a “spirit of never yielding an inch” of Taiwan, Kinmen and the other islands.
Defense spending and Chinese patrols
Taiwan’s planned defence budget for next year will exceed T$1 trillion (about $30 billion) for the first time, a figure the president hopes will receive strong legislative support. The increase reflects ongoing concerns about China’s “law‑enforcement” patrols around Kinmen, which began in early 2024 and have been described by Taipei as provocative.
China’s Taiwan Affairs Office did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
Implications for the region
The president’s visit underscores Taiwan’s commitment to a robust defence posture amid rising tensions in the Taiwan Strait. While Lai has offered talks with Beijing, he rejects any claim that China has sovereignty over Taiwan, insisting that only the island’s people can decide their future.
As the island nation prepares for a historic defence budget and continues to monitor Chinese naval activity, the message from Kinmen is clear: strength remains the cornerstone of Taiwan’s pursuit of lasting peace.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
