[Correspondent Column] Why We Must Not Take Our Eyes Off the Taiwan Issue

Jinmendao Gained Through Taiwan Military's Determined Resistance
War Clouds Loom Over Taiwan Strait

[Asia Economy Beijing=Special Correspondent Jo Young-shin] Late at night on Monday, October 24, 1949. Hundreds of fishing boats departing from Xiamen, Fujian Province in southern China, arrived at the coast of Jinmendao (Kinmen Island). When more than 10,000 People's Liberation Army soldiers belonging to the Chinese Communist Party, divided among the numerous fishing boats, reached the coast of Guningtou on Jinmendao, an unexplained mine explosion occurred on the shore. Startled by the explosion, the Taiwan military belonging to the Chinese Nationalist Party fortunately detected the PLA's surprise attack.

The Chinese Communist Party suffered humiliation in its first battle against the Chinese Nationalist Party after the founding of the People's Republic of China (October 1), with over 3,000 deaths and more than 7,000 captured. It is widely believed that the victorious PLA in the Chinese Civil War became complacent and was defeated in this battle. There were even stories that pigs and other items for a victory feast were loaded on the fishing boats, indicating the state of mental preparedness of the PLA at the time.

Jinmendao (Photo by Baidu Capture)

On the other hand, the Taiwan military defended the island with a determination to fight to the death. There was a strong sense of crisis that if Jinmendao was lost, the main island of Taiwan would be in danger. In the three-day-long Battle of Guningtou, the Taiwan military fiercely resisted and ultimately won. After the victory at Guningtou, Chiang Kai-shek (Jang Jae-seok) founded the Republic of China (Guofu Cheondae) on December 7, and China was divided into two.

The victory at Guningtou was precious. Jinmendao is only about 1.8 km from Xiamen, China, but is currently controlled by Taiwan. Jinmendao is about 190 km from Taiwan. From the perspective of the Chinese Communist Party, Jinmendao is like a thorn in the throat. The CCP attempted to retake the island again in September 1954 and August 1958 but failed both times. It was at this time that the United States appeared. Although the US had previously supported Taiwan, in 1958 it directly deployed the US Navy's 7th Fleet. Based on the defense treaty with Taiwan, the US assembled a large fleet including aircraft carriers in the Taiwan Strait. However, the PLA only attacked the Taiwan military and did not attack US forces. The US military also did not fire on the PLA. The US merely displayed the might of its large fleet. The CCP did not want a full-scale war with the US, and the US also did not want a war with China.

In January 1979, when China and the US established diplomatic relations, Jinmendao stabilized. The US severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan. Since then, China has emphasized the principle of "One China" instead of attacking Jinmendao.

People's Liberation Army (Photo by Global Times)

As US-China tensions escalate, the Taiwan Strait is again on the brink of conflict. Ahead of the 94th anniversary of the founding of the PLA, the Chinese Communist Party conducted large-scale military exercises off the coast of Fujian Province at the end of last month. Videos released by China Central Television (CCTV) show the deployment of the CCP's latest weapons, including landing ships, amphibious armored vehicles, fighter jets, and helicopters. This is a practical exercise implying the goal and purpose of retaking Taiwan. When the US pressures China, China appears to pressure Taiwan in response.

The CCP emphasizes the inevitability of Taiwan's unification under the banner of One China. Behind Taiwan's unification lies another objective: securing maritime routes to the Pacific and Indian Oceans. In this case, China's influence in the South China Sea, where territorial claims are contested, will increase further. The US and other Western countries will not stand idly by.

The CCP's attempt to retake the main island of Taiwan is not just a matter between China and Taiwan. If gunfire breaks out in the Taiwan Strait, there is a high possibility of escalation into a war between the democratic and communist camps. Whether we want it or not, the Korean Peninsula will fall under the influence of the war. This is why we must not take our eyes off the Taiwan issue and US-China relations.