The Kinmen County Government is ready to take control of six small islets near Kinmen after the military transfer the administration of these areas, Deputy County Commissioner Yang Chung-chuan (楊忠全) said yesterday.
The county government will make the most of this chance to develop tourism and trade in the areas to turn Kinmen, formerly an anti-communism stronghold, into a "bridge of peace" across the Taiwan Strait, Yang claimed.
Basically, Yang asserted, the county government will only take over the jurisdiction of the six islets -- Tatan, Ertan, Tungting, Peiting, Shihyu and Menghuyu -- but will not be responsible for defending them.
After the transfer of the six islets, probably on Jan. 1, next year the Coast Guard Administration will be responsible for their defense and the National Police Administration will help keep social order, Yang said.
"There will be no interruption in social order before, during or after the transfer period," he said.
According to Yang, the six islets have been purely military for more than five decades.
"These islets were completely off-limits to civilians, even to Kinmen residents," Yang said.
Many people, including multinational companies, have been keen to learn of the demilitarization -- some suggesting that the islets be developed into eco-sanctuaries, and some are looking into the feasibility of developing them into resorts with casinos, while others say the islets should be kept as museums of military history, according to Yang.
In preparation for the takeover, the Kinmen County Government has commissioned National Kaohsiung University of Applied Sciences to conduct a tourism resources survey of Tatan and Ertan.
Tungting and Peiting are known as "the islets of lights," because they are the only two islets to have lighthouses. The Tungting lighthouse was built in 1871 and the Peiting lighthouse was built in 1882.
SPACE VETERAN: Kjell N. Lindgren, who helps lead NASA’s human spaceflight missions, has been on two expeditions on the ISS and has spent 311 days in space Taiwan-born US astronaut Kjell N. Lindgren is to visit Taiwan to promote technological partnerships through one of the programs organized by the US for its 250th national anniversary. Lindgren would be in Taiwan from Tuesday to Saturday next week as part of the US Bureau of Educational and Cultural Affairs’ US Speaker Program, organized to celebrate the 250th anniversary of the signing of the Declaration of Independence, the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) said in a statement yesterday. Lindgren plans to engage with key leaders across the nation “to advance cutting-edge technological partnerships and inspire the next generation of scientists and engineers,”
UNREASONABLE SURVEILLANCE: A camera targeted on an road by a neighbor captured a man’s habitual unsignaled turn into home, netting him dozens of tickets The Taichung High Administrative Court has canceled all 45 tickets given to a man for failing to use a turn signal while driving, as it considered long-term surveillance of his privacy more problematic than the traffic violations. The man, surnamed Tseng (曾), lives in Changhua County and was reported 45 times within a month for failing to signal while driving when he turned into the alley where his residence is. The reports were filed by his neighbor, who set up security cameras that constantly monitored not only the alley but also the door and yard of Tseng’s house. The surveillance occurred from July
A Japan Self-Defense Forces vessel entered the Taiwan Strait yesterday, Japanese media reported. After passing through the Taiwan Strait, the Ikazuchi was to proceed to the South China Sea to take part in a joint military exercise with the US and the Philippines, the reports said. Japan Self-Defense Force vessels were first reported to have passed through the strait in September, 2024, with two further transits taking place in February and June last year, the Asahi Shimbun reported. Yesterday’s transit also marked the first time since Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi took office that a Japanese warship has been sent through the Taiwan
‘SAME OLD TRICK’: Even if Beijing resumes individual travel to Taiwan, it would only benefit Chinese tourism companies, the Economic Democracy Union convener said China’s 10 new “incentives” are “sugar-coated poison,” an official said yesterday, adding that Taiwanese businesses see them clearly for what they are, but that Beijing would inevitably find some local collaborators to try to drums up support. The official, speaking on condition of anonymity, made the remark ahead of a news conference the General Chamber of Commerce is to hold today. The event, titled “Industry Perspectives on China’s Recent Pro-Taiwan Policies,” is expected to include representatives from industry associations — such as those in travel, hotels, food and agriculture — to request the government cooperate with China’s new measures, people familiar with
RSS