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people are calling for war, but in She believes this proximity— temples were once occupied for
reality, most people are calm. The both geographical and academic— military use in Kinmen.
internet only amplifies the loudest makes Xiamen a unique bridge “The troops did not have bar-
voices,” she says. between the two sides. “Because racks, so they slept at villagers’
At Xiamen University, Lin is we’re so close, we can study and homes. Ancestral halls and tem-
currently enrolled in a course of- understand Taiwan better. It’s ples were turned into offices and
fered by the Graduate Institution much easier to do real research in logistics rooms. Some altars were
of Taiwan Studies, one of the few Fujian than any other province in removed to make space,” she says,
tertiary institutions that offers such China,” she says. adding that no compensation was
kinds of programme in Mainland “I just hope there won’t be a offered to residents affected by
China. war. Peace is the best—and maybe those arrangements.
“We have classes on Taiwan’s one day I hope I can finally visit Wang says stories of artillery
politics, culture, and daily life. My Taiwan as a tourist,” she says. have been shared for generations
course is about Taiwan’s social On the other side of the strait, in families. After 1949, Kinmen
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life—it covers politics, history, Wang Ling, who was born in Kin- became a heavily militarized area.
and even food. There are also sev- men and grew up with memories In 1958, during the Second Taiwan Follow Us on Instagram
eral professors from Taiwan teach- of war, also shared their call for Strait Crisis, known locally as the
ing in this programme,” the Year peace. “823 Artillery Bombardment”, the
Three student says. “War brings no winners. It People’s Liberation Army of Chi-
“Distance once made the oth- na fired nearly half a million shells
over 44 days, and occasional shell-
er side seem so distant. Now, ing continued until 1979. Martial
law was not lifted until 1992.
“But a lot of Kinmen people
people can meet and trade. now think conflict will not happen
again, because more than two dec-
Communication is the key to ades of direct links with Xiamen
have made the two sides under-

avoiding conflict.” stand each other more,” she says.
“The economy here depends on
tourism. If there were fighting, the
tourism industry would suffer bad-
ly. That is something no one wants
“Most of my classmates had only means casualties on both to see,” she adds.
little knowledge of Taiwan’s poli- sides. I hope leaders show care Wang believes people from
tics or history before taking this for the lives of ordinary people so both sides want mutual under-
course. But after attending the lec- that tragedy will not be repeated. standing rather than confrontation.
tures and discussions, they have Whether in Kinmen or Xiamen, no “Distance once made the other side
become more aware of the com- one wants to hear the sound of ar- seem so distant. Now, people can
plexity of cross-strait relations and tillery again,” Wang, a tour guide meet and trade. Communication is
differences between life in Tai- who also runs a business that cu- the key to avoiding conflict,” she
wan and what they used to think rates exhibitions and conducts says.
of the island. Some even want to projects to preserve Kinmen’s her-
visit Taiwan so that they can have itage and history, says.
more exchanges with young peo- Born in 1985, Wang recalls that
ple there,” Lin adds. houses, ancestral halls, and even