A powerful defense is needed to maintain peace, President Tsai Ing-wen (蔡英文) said yesterday as she led her final remembrance service as Taiwan’s commander in chief for those killed during the 1958 defense of Kinmen County against a Chinese People’s Liberation Army (PLA) invasion.
Her visit to Kinmen — just a few kilometers from China at its closest point — comes as Beijing has increased military activity around Taiwan.
It was the third time since taking office in 2016 that Tsai has attended the annual memorial, which marks the anniversary of the start of a massive PLA artillery bombardment of Kinmen at the beginning of the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis 65 years ago.
Photo: Ann Wang, Reuters
The president burned incense, laid a wreath and bowed her head to pay her respects to those who died during the conflict. She was accompanied by Minister of National Defense Chiu Kuo-cheng (邱國正) and National Security Council Secretary-General Wellington Koo (顧立雄).
Tsai recalled how the troops and civilians “fought with one heart and persisted in repelling the enemy forces who tried to invade.”
“To keep the peace, we need to strengthen ourselves,” Tsai said. “As such, we need to continue to reform the national defense, push for self-reliance, strengthen our defense capabilities and resilience.”
Photo: CNA
The president later attended a luncheon for survivors and family members of those killed during the 1958 bombardment, in which Kinmen was hit with 475,000 artillery shells over 44 days.
“Our position on maintaining peace and stability in the Taiwan Strait is very firm,” Tsai said at the lunch, adding that there would be no Taiwan today if they had not prevailed during the crisis in 1958.
Fighting broke out on Aug. 23, 1958, when Chinese forces began an intense bombardment of Taiwan’s outlying Kinmen and Lienchiang counties in a bid to dislodge the Republic of China (ROC) government, which had retreated from China to Taiwan after losing the Chinese Civil War.
Taiwan fought with support from the US, which sent military equipment such as Sidewinder anti-aircraft missiles, giving Taiwan a technological edge.
The crisis ended in a stalemate.
Additional reporting by AP and AFP
Tropical Storm Gaemi strengthened into a typhoon at 2pm yesterday, and could make landfall in Yilan County tomorrow, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said yesterday. The agency was scheduled to issue a sea warning at 11:30pm yesterday, and could issue a land warning later today. Gaemi was moving north-northwest at 4kph, carrying maximum sustained winds near its center of up to 118.8kph and gusts of 154.8kph. The circumference is forecast to reach eastern Taiwan tomorrow morning, with the center making landfall in Yilan County later that night before departing from the north coast, CWA weather forecaster Kuan Shin-ping (官欣平) said yesterday. Uncertainty remains and
SEA WARNING LIKELY: The storm, named Gaemi, could become a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, with the Taipei City Government preparing for flooding A tropical depression east of the Philippines developed into a tropical storm named Gaemi at 2pm yesterday, and was moving toward eastern Taiwan, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. Gaemi could begin to affect Taiwan proper on Tuesday, lasting until Friday, and could develop into a moderate typhoon on Wednesday or Thursday, it said. A sea warning for Gaemi could be issued as early as Tuesday morning, it added. Gaemi, the third tropical storm in the Pacific Ocean this typhoon season, is projected to begin moving northwest today, and be closest to Taiwan on Wednesday or Thursday, the agency said. Today, there would likely
DISRUPTIONS: The high-speed rail is to operate as normal, while several airlines either canceled flights or announced early departures or late arrivals Schools and offices in 15 cities and counties are to be closed today due to Typhoon Gaemi, local governments announced last night. The 15 are: Taipei, New Taipei City, Taoyuan, Tainan, Keelung, Hsinchu and Kaohsiung, as well as Yilan, Hualien, Hsinchu, Miaoli, Chiayi, Pingtung, Penghu and Lienchiang counties. People should brace for torrential rainfall brought by the storm, with its center forecast to make landfall on the east coast between tonight and tomorrow morning, the Central Weather Administration (CWA) said. The agency issued a sea warning for the typhoon at 11:30pm on Monday, followed by a land warning at 11:30am yesterday. As of
CASUALTY: A 70-year-old woman was killed by a falling tree in Kaohsiung as the premier warned all government agencies to remain on high alert for the next 24 hours Schools and offices nationwide are to be closed for a second day today as Typhoon Gaemi crosses over the nation, bringing torrential rain and whipping winds. Gaemi was forecast to make landfall late last night. From Tuesday night, its outer band brought substantial rainfall and strong winds to the nation. As of 6:15pm last night, the typhoon’s center was 20km southeast of Hualien County, Central Weather Administration (CWA) data showed. It was moving at 19kph and had a radius of 250km. As of 3pm yesterday, one woman had died, while 58 people were injured, the Central Emergency Operation Center said. The 70-year-old