The China Post
Date: October 10, 2016
By: Yuan-Ming Chiao
TAIPEI, Taiwan — Penghu, a ring-shaped island chain of stark contrasts. From April to October, its
The Penghu islands are seen in an aerial photo taken in 2015. (Photo courtesy of Wing1990hk, distributed under a CC-By 2.0 license)
pristine white sand beaches, glorious ocean views, and fresh seafood attract tens of thousands of tourists looking to escape the urban jungle. After mid-October, powerful northern gales sweep across the landscape and much of the area becomes a ghost town.
But Penghu’s contrasts are not limited to geography and climate.
On Oct. 15, residents of Penghu will again be asked to decide in a referendum whether they support the establishment of casinos within an integrated resort on the archipelago.
The process has been one of fierce public debate, spilling onto the streets of not only Magong, the county seat, but also Taipei. [FULL STORY]