KINMEN ISLAND, TAIWAN – Mr. Wu stares aimlessly across the busy shipping channel that separates this disputed island from Mainland China. Off in the distance, the vertical skyline of China’s densely populated port city Xiamen shimmers under a cloudless sky.
“That’s from where they’ll launch their attack on Taiwan when it comes,” says Mr. Wu matter-of-factly on a bright spring morning in 2022 with tensions rising on both sides. “Xiamen is the place from where China always attacks Taiwan.”
The guide’s ominous prediction makes me blush with concern.
“Oh, don’t worry, it won’t happen today,” Mr. Wu laughingly reassures me. “We still have plenty of time to see Kinmen’s tourist sights.”

Above: There are many war memorial scattered across Kinmen, like this one.

The people of Kinmen, a.k.a. Quemoy, have become use to living under the threat of war with Mainland China, which sits just 6km away across the Taiwan Strait. In fact, from 1949 to 1992, Communist China peppered Taiwan’s southernmost island with 600,000 live “propaganda bombs” in a war of nerves. The bombs have been replaced with a war of words since 1992 but the Taiwanese believe hostilities could break out any time with their mighty neighbour.
“Not surprisingly, many of our tourist attractions have a war theme,” says the guide as he navigates along the island’s narrow back roads in the direction of the Zhaishan Tunnel, which was built to store Taiwan’s military hardware.
As we make our way deep into the cavernous tunnel, Mr. Wu’s words echo off the granite walls that are illuminated with bright coloured lights, giving the place a magical feel.
“It took them five years to dig this tunnel and there’s several others in this area. But Zhaishan is the biggest and the best,” says Mr. Wu. The watery U-shaped tunnel is a great feat of engineering, with two entrances that could accommodate up to 42 small patrol boats and lots of weaponry, some of which still remains to wow the tourists.
The guide tells me the tunnel is now used mostly for music concerts - “each autumn we hold Chinese and Western classical music concerts in the tunnel and the acoustics are simply stunning.”

Above: Many underground tunnels were built on Kinmen to hide shells.

Mr. Wu sees I’m intrigued by Kimen’s military history and suggests we visit another tunnel which houses a giant howitzer, which helped keep China’s forces at bay for more than 60 years.
The Shishan Howitzer Front base, which is located on Mt. Lion, just behind the Shanhou Folk Culture Village, is manned by uniformed actors who treat visitors to drill demonstrations that don’t include  firing the mighty 203mm cannon, of course.
The uninterrupted views of the Taiwan Strait from the howitzer perch are spectacular and one can quickly see why the Taiwanese held the upper hand in their previous conflict with China.
The island’s military history is proudly preserved and displayed at several other locations - the Guningtou Battle Museum, 823 Artillery Battle Museum, the Hujingtou Battle Museum, Chiang Ching-Kuo Hall and the Military Brothel Exhibition Hall.

Above: War memorials and former weapons have become part of the tourist agenda on Kinmen.

Each of the aforementioned installations offer fascinating exhibitions, which include lots of old military weaponry.
Interestingly, Mr. Wu tells me the 60-year conflict between China and Taiwan actually resulted in the creation of his family’s knife business.
“My grandfather and later my uncle would collect the shell casings the Chinese fired at us and melted them down so they could make knives.”
More than 1.6 million shells were fired at Taiwan over 60 years, the guide informs me. Customers who turn up at his shop can even pick the shell casing they want their knife to be made from. Over 40 knives can be made from one casing, according to my guide.
It’s difficult to think that this peaceful island and it’s welcoming inhabitants may again have to face the prospect of war with their neighbour. But, as Mr. Wu says, “that’s life on Kinmen Island.”