Once Existed

Overview

Kinmen is a group of islands governed by Taiwan and a solid base for the capitalist camp during the Cold War era. Kinmen commenced its construction of military fortifications in 1958, with millions of soldiers stationed on the island. As the USSR communist bloc gradually disintegrated, Kinmen began a large-scale withdrawal of troops in 1988, placing the lives of the island’s 50,000 residents in a predicament after having relied on soldiers to earn a living for so long. With the improvements of cross-strait relations, large amounts of Chinese tourists now flood the very islands they once rained countless bombs on. Tourists from both sides of the Taiwan Strait now take group photos in front of fortifications, but will the future of the cross-strait relations be as fine as the seemly peace?