Taiwan will ring a “bell of peace” on Kinmen to demonstrate its determination to pursue peace and celebrate the 100th year of the Republic of China (ROC).
A foundation set up by the government to organize celebratory events for the centenary will hold a bell-ringing ceremony on Aug. 23, which will be attended by representatives from more than 10 countries, Vice President Vincent Siew (蕭萬長) said.
The foundation has invited several Nobel Peace Prize winners to attend the ceremony, including former Polish president Lech Walesa, Council for Cultural Affairs Minister Emile Sheng (盛治仁) said. However, Walesa is in the hospital now and might not be able to attend, Sheng said.
Kinmen suffered extensive shelling by the People’s Liberation Army in the 1950s during the Cold War era. Aug. 23, 1958, was the beginning of the 823 Artillery Bombardment (八 二 三 炮戰), 44 straight days of shelling that saw Chinese forces drop as many as 500,000 bombs.
Kinmen was heavily mined in the 1950s, but since the mid-1990s the government has worked to clear it of mines.
Siew said as Taiwan and China have engaged in intensive trade and cultural exchanges in recent years, the Taiwan Strait was “no longer a flashpoint in Asia.”
Additional reporting by Staff Reporter
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