China Pushes for Bridge Linking to Taiwan's Frontline Kinmen; Taiwan Says 'No Unilateral Decisions'

Taiwan has strongly pushed back as China has advanced plans to build a bridge connecting Xiamen in Fujian Province to Kinmen, Taiwan's frontline island.

According to the Xiamen Daily on the 26th, Xiamen City stated in its recently announced "12 Measures to Promote Exchanges and Cooperation with Taiwan" that it will continue construction on the Xiamen section of the "Xiamen-Kinmen Bridge" with the goal of opening by the end of this year, while also studying plans for constructing the Kinmen section.

The Xiamen-Kinmen Bridge is a proposed sea bridge consisting of a Xiamen section connecting Xiamen to Dadeng Island and a Kinmen section connecting Dadeng Island to Kinmen Island.

Construction on the Xiamen section began in October 2023 and is currently underway, and China plans to eventually extend it to Kinmen Island.

It is reported that connection points allowing the bridge to be extended toward Kinmen have already been secured for this purpose.

Xiamen City also proposed measures to expand exchanges and cooperation, including studying plans to establish a Kinmen-exclusive terminal within Xiangan International Airport, expanding the distribution of Taiwanese agricultural and fishery products, and comparing cross-strait food safety standards.

In response, Taiwan's Mainland Affairs Council, the body in charge of mainland China affairs, criticized the move, stating, "Cross-strait public infrastructure construction involves public authority and cannot be unilaterally decided by China," and adding, "The Taiwanese government has no plans to pursue related projects."

Kinmen Island is Taiwan's frontline island located about 200 kilometers away from the main island of Taiwan, but only a few kilometers away from Xiamen, China.

The island was the site of a large-scale artillery battle between China and Taiwan that lasted for 44 days starting on August 23, 1958.

At the time, Chinese forces poured roughly 470,000 artillery shells onto Kinmen Island, but failed to capture it due to the resistance of Taiwanese forces.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te recently attended a commemoration ceremony held on Kinmen Island for the 68th anniversary of the Kinmen artillery bombardment, where he said, "Let us uphold the spirit of opposing communism and protecting Taiwan and support the defense budget to build a more solid and sturdy foundation for peace across the Taiwan Strait."

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.