Despite losing two wars, China is still upping the ante on the small island as tensions escalate across the Taiwan Strait

On the last day of 2024, coast guard vessels from China's Fujian Province conducted patrols in the waters near Kinmen Island, Taiwan. China has described these operations as regular law enforcement activities carried out within the legal framework it has established.

However, the Taiwan Coast Guard had a different view. They reported that since February 2024, Chinese coast guard vessels have violated waters near Taiwan's Kinmen Islands a record 52 times, marking a sharp escalation.

The push is seen as part of Beijing's broader “gray zone warfare” strategy, an ongoing campaign of non-military tactics aimed at intimidating Taiwan without provoking outright conflict.

The situation began to escalate early last year when two Chinese fishermen drowned during a chase by the Taiwanese coast guard near the northernmost islands of Kinmen. In retaliation, China has stepped up its coast guard operations in the region, accusing Taiwan of harassment and further complicating an already tense maritime standoff.

Since then, Kinmen has become a hotspot where law enforcement has stepped up their activities, with both sides monitoring disputed maritime borders.

Why Kinmen belongs to Taiwan despite its proximity to China

Kinmen, a small archipelago located less than 10 kilometers off the Chinese coast of Xiamen in Fujian province, is governed by Taiwan but remains a hotbed of geopolitical tensions.

Recently, it has re-emerged as a strategic point in the China-Taiwan-US triangle, attracting renewed global attention.

Many are perplexed about the status of Kinmen, given its proximity to China and its location near Xiamen, a bustling Chinese city of more than five million people. However, Kinmen's current status is rooted in the complex history of the Chinese Civil War.

Originally conquered by Japan in 1937 from the Republic of China/ROC (not the same as Taiwan, but the Chinese state that existed from 1912 to 1949), Kinmen returned to ROC control after World War II.

At the end of the Chinese Civil War in 1949, nationalist Kuomintang (KMT) forces led by Chiang Kai-shek withdrew to Taiwan after losing mainland China to Mao Zedong's communist forces. However, the KMT chose to fortify Kinmen and Matsu instead of abandoning them, recognizing their strategic importance.

The People's Liberation Army (PLA) twice attempted to capture Kinmen, first in the Battle of Guningtou in 1949 and then in 1950, but despite the numerical advantage, it failed due to poor planning. These defeats allowed Kinmen to remain under ROC control.

Over time, Kinmen has become a symbol of Taiwan's sovereignty, a token of resistance to Beijing's ever-growing ambitions.

Xi Jinping pushes for reunification

In a defiant New Year's speech, Chinese President Xi Jinping reaffirmed his view that Taiwan's reunification with China is inevitable. “People on both sides of the Taiwan Strait are one family. No one can sever our ties, and no one can stop the historic momentum of national reunification,” he said, signaling his determination to bring Taiwan under Beijing’s control.

This rhetoric and growing military pressure have only intensified tensions in the region.

In the meantime, reports of the Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative (AMTI) reveal an increase in incursions by the Chinese Coast Guard (CCG) in the waters surrounding Taiwan, notably in Kinmen and Matsu. From May 2020 to September 2024, the number of Chinese ships entering these restricted waters reached a record high.

The frequency of these incursions underscores Beijing's strategy to assert its dominance in the Taiwan Strait.

Kinmen: a symbol of Taiwanese resistance

Amid these growing tensions, Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te visited Kinmen Island in August 2024 to commemorate the 66th anniversary of the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis, a crucial clash with Chinese forces.

In his speech, Lai reaffirmed Taiwan's commitment to peaceful development, but also said: “We refuse to be ruled by the Communist Party and are committed to pursuing a life of democracy, freedom, of human rights and the rule of law. »

Despite its proximity to China, Kinmen remains a key symbol of Taiwanese resistance to pressure from Beijing.

However, some Kinmen residents have a more nuanced view. According to Voice of America (VOA), America's largest international channel funded by the U.S. government, most residents of Kinmen feel saferat the gates of China than on the main island of Taiwan.

Many Kinmen residents have supported the idea of ​​a bridge connecting Xiamen to their island, seeing it as a symbol of peace that could boost the economy and strengthen ties between the two sides of the strait.

Yet the Taiwanese government has strongly opposed the project, citing risks to national security, a stance that Kinmen residents find frustrating.

A microcosm of broader US-China rivalry

Kinmen's strategic value has attracted increased attention as the United States pushes back against China's regional assertiveness. Efforts by the Biden administration to deter Beijing's ambitions in the Taiwan Strait have put islands like Kinmen in the spotlight.

In February 2024, a Newsweek article revealed for the first time that U.S. Special Forces troops would be permanently stationed in Taiwan rather than on a temporary or rotational basis. In March 2024, Taiwanese Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng confirmed the presence of members of the US military's special forces on Taiwan's outlying islands, including Kinmen.

The growing importance of Kinmen clearly indicates the unstable nature of the region, highlighting the fragility of peace across the Taiwan Strait.

The waters around Kinmen, once a serene route for ferries and trade, have become a high-stakes battleground for regional stability. In the broader triangle between the United States, China and Taiwan, this small island has become a vital barometer of peace, where each wave could have far-reaching consequences.

• Shubhangi Palve is a defense and aerospace journalist. Before joining the EurAsian Times, she worked for ET Prime. In this capacity, she focused on covering defense strategies and the defense sector from a financial perspective. She offers over 15 years of in-depth experience in the media industry, spanning print, electronic and online.
• Contact the author at shubhapalve (at) gmail.com