Reuters
Date: Oct 7, 2015
By: Yimou Lee and Faith Hung
Soldiers on the tiny Taiwan-held island of Kinmen regularly conduct military drills
Local residents take pictures during the annual Han Kuang military exercise in Kinmen, Taiwan, September 8, 2015. REUTERS/Pichi Chuang
repelling amphibious attacks by Chinese Communist troops from the mainland, but the problem may soon be free-for-all landings of Chinese shoppers and businessmen.
The war games are a reminder that this place is the front line between China and Taiwan where beaches were mined and shots traded up until as recently as the mid-1970s, and that China has not renounced force to ensure it gains control of a territory it considers its own.
“If China attacks Taiwan, we will be the first to die,” said Kinmen bar owner Sam Chen, 29, as he watched recent live-fire drills with fellow residents. “Of course I am worried about war, but I also hope Kinmen can build closer ties with China. It’s easier for us young people to make money.”
There lies the rub. Many in Taiwan, especially a newly politicized youth movement, are angry about perceived economic dominance by China, likening it to an invasion all of its own. But many also see the benefits of closer trade. [FULL STORY]
