After many years of deliberations, a few days ago, the issue of opening Dadan and Erdan Islands for tourism, which had attracted much public attention, finally became a reality. On July 26th, the County Government team together with distinguished guests from all walks of life jointly set foot on Dadan Island, to participate in the "Commemoration of the 68th Anniversary of the Dadan and Erdan Battle and Trial Operation Ceremony of the Opening of Dadan Island for Tourism.” The legendary and mysterious island, which had witnessed history on both sides of the Taiwan Strait, was since reborn and started a new phase of missions and duty.
Dadan and Erdan Islands are located in the southwestern sea of Lieyu Island. They are under the jurisdiction of the Republic of China government, with their administrative district subordinated to the Lieyu Township of Kinmen County. About 12 kilometers from Kinmen Island but only 4.4 kilometers from Xiamen in Mainland China, they are known as “the outpost of all outposts; the outermost among the outlying islands.” During the military confrontation across the Taiwan Strait in the 50s and 60s, they were the site of many military engagements between the two sides, and can lay claim to being the most famous islands within the national border.
The reason why July 26th was chosen for the opening of Dadan Island for trial tourism is mainly to commemorate the “Battle of Dadan Island,” which took place on July 26th, 1950. Despite being a small-scale battle, it was another devastating blow to the invading Communist army after the Battle of Guningtou in the previous year. In a time when the Nationalist government was unstable, the Battle of Dadan and Erdan was a precious victory to the Nationalist army. To commemorate this victory, late President Jiang Jing-Guo named the island “Dadan” (meaning the bold island) during his visit in 1951.
Different from the August 23rd Artillery War in 1958, the Battle of Guningtou and the Battle of Dadan Island were typical landing operations. When the Communist army launched the Battle of Dadan and Erdan, artillery shells were first fired by the People's Liberation Army (PLA) stationed near Xiamen University a few hours before the landing operation started. The PLA slogan before the fighting was to “ensure the blast of the first strike on Kinmen and Taiwan; be resolute in taking over Dadan and Erdan," which showed their determination and the strategic significance of the two islands. Eventually, the Nationalist army won the victory of the Battle of Dadan, with the PLA reluctantly admitting the loss of all its landing troops.
Despite being a small-scale battle, the Battle of Dadan had great significance. For the Nationalist government, which had just kept its feet on the ground in Taiwan, it was another reassurance after the Battle of Guningtou. For Kinmen, the victory further strengthened its role as the frontline and a springboard to reclaim the mainland. To commemorate the heroic deeds of Jiangsi messenger Lai Sheng-Ming, the 600-meter-long central highway on the island was named “Shengming Road” and the leisure center for garrisoned soldiers was named “Shengming Hall.” When General Hu Lian served as Commanding General of the Kinmen Defense Command and built the Juguang Tower that represented the spirit of Kinmen, he also gave the honor of writing the inscription on the plaque of Juguang Tower to the Dadan hero Lai Sheng-Ming. It has become a legend that a low-level soldier got his name listed in history forever.
Looking back at the historical development since 1949, Dadan, Erdan, and Kinmen Islands have safeguarded the security of the Taiwan Strait, witnessing the two sides across the strait advancing from tumultuous instability towards peaceful exchange. Dadan and Erdan for Kinmen, Kinmen for Taiwan and Penghu, represent life experiences that were built from blood. From war to peace, confrontation to communication, that is the historical significance of the opening of Dadan and Erdan for tourism.
There is no denying the fact that despite the end of military confrontation across the strait long time ago, the serious lack of mutual trust has disturbed the easing of the cross-strait relationship. For the past two years, continuous friction has driven the relationship back to the most unpleasant confrontation scenario. Most worrying is a continuous escalation of tension under constant friction and attack, without knowing where it might lead.
Now that Dadan and Erdan Islands are open for tourism, as the most direct victim of the cross-strait war, we shall once again appeal to the authorities of the two sides across the Taiwan Strait that conflict and confrontation cannot resolve disputes. As the division across the Taiwan Strait is approaching its 70th anniversary, and the two sides have finally moved from military conflict toward peaceful exchange, how can we allow the situation to fall back to confrontation again?
We sincerely urge the decision-makers of the two sides across the strait to remember the lessons from history, prioritize people’s livelihoods, stop provoking each other, and resume dialogue, to jointly safeguard the hard-won peace across the Taiwan Strait.