Situated off the coast of Fujian province and surrounded by coasts of four sides, Kinmen, formally called Wuzhou, is also known as Xianzhou, Wujiang, or Wudiao. The name of Kinmen dates from Hungwu era of the Ming dynasty when a one-hundred-household garrison post was set up here. In addition, the Marquis of Jiangxia Zhou Dexing erected walls to defend the island. Kinmen safeguarded Zhangzhou and Xiamen up close and controlled Taiwan and the Pescadores from afar. Because of its peculiar geographical location and strategic importance, the island was dubbed Kinmen, wining the reputation of “impregnable fort guarding the gate to the sea.”
As the five barbarian nomadic tribes from the steppe outside the Great Wall were overrunning the Central Plains, six clans crossed the sea to Kinmen, which launched the beginning of inhabitants in Kinmen. In the Tang dynasty, Superintendent Chen Yuan led residents to move in large numbers to the island, transforming the wildness into an earthly paradise. In the Song dynasty, Zhou Xi sailed to Kinmen to give lectures. During his sojourn, Zhu Xi indoctrinated the people with Confucianist ethics, thus purifying the social climate. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, a number of natives passed government examinations, many of whom claimed all the way to high-ranking positions. To the end of the Ming dynasty, Monarch Lu and Zheng Chenggung(Koxiga) at one time trained their troops on the island, using it as a base for “expelling the Dutch to recover Taiwan.” After the establishment of Republic of China, Kinmen overseas descendents had accumulated great success in their business, sponsoring revolutions, building the villages, and bringing home great contribution. In 1949, the Nationalist government army retreated to Kinmen. After the Nationalist government army scored a couple of decisive victories, such as the Guningtou Battle, the Battle of Dadan and Erdan, the 93 Battle, the 823 Artillery Battle, and the 617 Battle, the island has provided a defense of “democratic great wall” for Cross-Strait safety.
The total area of Kinmen is 150,456 square kilometers; it is narrow in the middle and wide in the east and west sides, as in the shape of golden ingot. In addition to the main island, Kinmen covers another 12 islets, such as Dadan, Erdan, Dongding, Beiding, and the like. These islands are scattered around Kinmen proper like the stars surrounding the moon. Kinmen has a current population of more than 68, 000. Mt. Taiwu is the highest peak on the island, projecting a magnificent view; and there are no large rivers except for the Wujing River and the Jiangsha River. Kinmen has a subtropical marine climate. The average annual rainfall is approximately 1,049.4 mm, and the precipitation concentrates between April and September. The island’s oldest stratum is composed of granophyres gneiss; the soil is primarily made up of sand and bare red earth. Agricultural development is rather limited due to poor natural conditions.
Long belonging to the administration of Tungan Prefecture of Fujian Province, Kinmen had begun its county administration since 1915. In 1926, it was changed from County Public Bureau to County Government. In 1937, the County Government was moved to Dadeng for battle and it was later returned to Kinmen after the victory in 1935. After the Guningtou Battle in 1949, the County Government was temporarily suspended to form Kinmen Military Preserve Administration Public Bureau. In 1953, the military defense control ended and the island was returned to county administration. Hence, the County Government was established. In 1956, Kinmen was subjected to absolute military control under the regulation of the Battlefield Administration Affairs Committee. Kinmen county government was under the inspection of the Battlefield Administration Affairs Committee. It’s not until the decline of intense relationship across the Taiwan Strait that the martial law was lifted in 1992. Battlefield Administration Affairs system had completed its temporal mission and the election of the county council took place to launch a new era of regular local autonomy.
The internal organization of Kinmen County Government consists of seven bureaus and five offices, and seven first level agencies. Seven bureaus include Civil Affairs Bureau, Finance Bureau, Education Bureau, Economic Development Bureau, Public Works Bureau, Social Affairs Bureau, as well as Transportation and Tourism Bureau; five offices are Research and Evaluation Office, General Affairs Office, Accounting and Statistics Office, Civil Service Ethics Office, and Personnel Office; and seven first level agencies embody Police Bureau, Health Bureau, Land Administration Bureau, Environmental Protection Bureau, Fire Bureau, Cultural Affairs Bureau, and Revenue Service Office. The prefecture covers 5 townships and towns, 35 administrative villages and lanes, 23 second level agencies, and 24 junior high schools, elementary schools, and kindergartens. In addition, Kinmen County Government helps administer all level agencies in two villages of Wuquiu Township in Futian County of Fujian Province to exercise regular government affairs.
The policy plan of the Kinmen County Government follows the central government’s decisions and administration plans of Executive Yuan in accordance with “Challenge 2008: National Development Plan,” integrating Magistrate Lee’s policy plans to prioritize general development and the locals’ well-being, aiming for the prosperity of society, as well as integrating county civilians’ wisdom and resources in order to promote all-faced political and financial construction, to upgrade living standard of civilians, to balance the county’s uniqueness and developmental demands, and to explore the current resources to explore long-term planning. We endeavor to establish Kinmen and realize the five prospects: lifting the regulation of Kinmen as a military zone and opening up Kinmen’s controlled sites for tourism; overcoming the marginalized situation of Kinmen and establishing direct three links in Kinmen; riding Kinmen of the nightmare created by the unsound airport and providing convenient air transport for Kinmen; eradicating poverty in Kinmen and promoting the tourism industry in Kinmen; as well as breaking the educational bottleneck in Kinmen and upgrading the cultural environment in Kinmen in order to march into the ideal society imbued with freedom, democracy, and prosperity. Accordingly, both sides of the Strait can know Kinmen better and bring Kinmen to the world.
In 1956, Kinmen was subjected to absolute military control under the regulation of the Battlefield Administration Affairs. All public elections were barred. In 1971, elections for representatives of townships and towns, for director of township and towns, heads of villages and lanes were resumed. In addition, supplementary elections for parliamentarians were held. In 1980, the first elected county consulting representatives were elected to exercise their rights, granting them over similar to that of county city council of Taiwan Province, in charge of inspecting estimate for county administration and overlooking council cases and county policy administration. When the regulation was scraped following the lifting of martial law, the military and civilian went separate ways. The election of county magistrate and that of the county council took place; county council and township civilian council were established. These events marked the first milestone in the local autonomy of Kinmen.
In order to expand our services to inhabitants, the Kinmen County Government website and e-government login website provide 228 items and 37 forms for you to download. We also set up e-mail service system for complaints. In addition, we follow the organizational concept of “respecting customers” to strengthen our service mechanism, to achieve the goal of providing all-faced service for people to people, and to show our excellent service quality. The concept of “Inhabitants are the Priority; Service is A Must,” is established to obtain the first-hand information, to initiate creativity, to volunteer service, and to enhance service quality. Service manuals are edited and published to provide inhabitants with the newest service information. We constantly pay attention to inhabitants’ feedback and accumulate their thoughts to provide immediate response. Each agency practices walking service to voluntarily welcome inhabitants, help them, and lead them in an attempt to create a hospitable service image.
In 1980, the central government planned and promoted “Comprehensive Construction Plan for Kinmen Area of Fujian Province” in an attempt to enhance speedy economic development and shorten the GNP discrepancy between Taiwan and Kinmen. This was the first huge investment budget from the central government to strategically implement large-scale comprehensive construction plan in Kinmen. This stage of comprehensive construction plan included five construction plans in the areas of agriculture, electricity power and engineering mining, tourism, transportation and communication, and social construction, with total budget of $NTD 5.1 billion. It aimed to construct Kinmen into an agricultural and war-specialized tourist and recreational area, integrating economic construction and national defense into a park on the sea.
Since the operational system within the administration plan couldn’t correspond with the administration prefecture and urban planning was confined to reality for a lack of comprehensive planning concept, regional plan could not be fully realized. Accordingly, “Kinmen County Comprehensive Development Plan” was approved in June 1997, in charge of integrating all kinds of tangible, intangible, long-term or short-term projects to enable the efficient distribution of local resources and budget. Its aims included: to strengthen national comprehensive space plan; to negotiate among Kinmen designated area plan, national park plan, and military control area to lead Kinmen for more efficient development; to realize Kinmen living circle project; to integrate Kinmen’s rich natural resources with cultural resources for a living, cultural and tourist area; to negotiate and modify the comprehensive development between tangible and intangible construction plans among agencies; to plan fully-equipped public facilities for improvement of the inhabitants’ quality of life; to establish complete transportation system for greater demands of full scale exchange in the future.
“Kinmen Area Comprehensive Development Plan” is an extensive plan. In the spring of 1999, the Council for Economic Planning and Development, Executive Yuan, again negotiated with the central related departments to develop the most urgent construction items, including agriculture, urban, transportation, tourism, water power, industry and commerce, resources, culture and education, environmental protection, and medical care to design key concepts in accordance with short-term and mid-term construction plans to approve the second “Kinmen Area Comprehensive Development Plan” to speed up the long-term development of Kinmen area. The total investment budget was $NTD 19,563,079,000 from 2000 to 2004. The expected short-term plans aimed to develop tourism and upgrade medical facilities from the second half year of 1999 to 2000; the mid-term plans focused on various kinds of important public facilities from 2001 to 2004.
The investment budget of Kinmen Comprehensive Development Plan was funded by the departments of the central government. However, after “The Offshore Development Act” came into force in April 2000, the budget was not given by the subsidy of the central government since 2001 but by the Offshore Foundation. Accordingly, the subsidy was hugely cut down, and many important local constructions could not be carried out as expected, which led detrimental harm to the offshore development and construction.
Kinmen County proceeded to amend the comprehensive development plan in 2001 to implement efficient projects. We planned the duration of the project from 2003 to 2006 for short-term and mid-term comprehensive development plans. The plan, a comprehensive one, not only concerned the inhabitants’ quality of life and fundamental environmental construction, but also focused on the identity of future plans and realization of plan resources.
According to related regulations of “The Offshore Development Act,” the content of offshore comprehensive plan with the four-year stage includes fundamental construction, industry construction, educational construction, cultural construction, medical construction, tourism construction, police construction, social well fare construction, natural hazards prevention and improvement of illegal burial, illegal farming, and illegal construction.
The amended county comprehensive development plan aims to be implemented from 2002 to 2006. The total investment budget was $NTD 18,626,110,000 for a total of 90 projects, in which consisted of 65 new projects and 25 extended projects approved by Executive Yuan in 1999.
The implementation of extensive Kinmen Area Comprehension Plan will prosper our county economy and motivate development of quality of life. It is hoped that the central government can provide us with the approved annual investment budget in accordance with the doctrine of “Offshore Development Act.” The distributed investment budget will benefit the effective implementation of all constructions in the Kinmen County.
The farming area in Kinmen is about 6,300 acres, but agricultural development is rather limited due to poor natural conditions. With poor-quality soil, disproportioned annual rainfall, and strong seasonal wind in the fall and winter, the actual farming area is approximately 2,400 acres. Crops are limited to such low-value drought-enduring products as sorghum, sweet potatoes, peanuts, barley, and some fruit and vegetables, in which sorghum and barley are purchased by the government for brewing Kaoliang liquor, tequila-like hard liquor.
The annual production of sorghum is approximately 3,700 tons for $NTD 38 per kilograms, with the total annual value of $NTD 140,000,000. The annual production of barley is approximately 2,500 tons for $NTD 41.75 per kilograms, with the total annual value of $NTD 143,700,000. They bring over $NTD 200,000,000 to the agricultural villages, enhancing the income of farmers and shortening the distance between city and country.
In order to set up complete purchasing system of secure value for sorghum and barley, in 2001 the Kinmen County Farmers’ Association set up Grain Drying Center to purchase full-scale wet grains. In 2002, Agriculture Research Institute added system of inspection visa at the site to promote security of agricultural villages and economic development.
The implementation of the “mini-three links” and participation of WTO led Kinmen agricultural industry to face huge challenge. How to modify traditional industrial structure and promote competitiveness has become an important role in our County’s important policies. We plan to speed up planning and renovation of agricultural development via the following aims. We plan to have Agricultural Research Institute, Farmers’ Association, and other promotion agencies handle modifying, researching, breeding and promoting vegetables, fruit, and other grains; to improve the environment of agriculture production; to develop local specialized agricultural products and processing; to recruit business groups for communal management; to strengthen agricultural extension education for fully equipped marketing system of agricultural products; to create new image of agricultural village; and to train farmers marching into organic agricultural development.
Historically, Kinmen was an archipelago with lush forests. Ever since the Song dynasty, after the illegal forestry cutting of the Yuan, Ming, and Qing dynasties, the whole island turned into sandy barren territory after the establishment of the Republic of China. For forty years, soldiers and inhabitants have conquered difficulties to plant horsetail tree, Chinese red pine, and spiny blackberry all over the Kinmen County and have helped establish green foundation for Kinmen to prevent strong wind and secure sand, modify temperature, preserve water and land, as well as improve the ecological environment. The total forestry area reaches approximately 5,000 acres, occupying 40% of total land area in Kinmen with forest resources of over 300,000 square kilometers.
In accordance with comprehensive development and demands, Kinmen Forestry Bureau set up forestry ecology department to manage planning to speedily promote coastal forestry for revitalization of forestry as well as renewing forestry for planting economic forestry. In addition, Kinmen Forestry Bureau creates landscape of avenue tree, strengthens tree planting and forestry creating, encourages comprehensive green beautification, promotes natural ecological preservation, opens original botanical garden, develops Forest Recreation Area, as well as promotes forestry ecological travel to set up management of forestry ecology department for enrichment of tourism resources and uniqueness of Kinmen tourism.
Surrounded by sea on four sides, Kinmen fishing industry focuses on near sea fishing and shallow sea farming with supplementary farming on the land. The gradual loss of fishing resources, the illegal bombing fishing, and cross-border fishing of fishing boats from mainland China create huge impact to the development of fishing industry in Kinmen. The Kinmen County government currently owns 43 mechanized fishing boats, 109 sampans, 42 fishing rafts, and 7 entertainment fishing boats. The annual fish catch is reduced from over 2,000,000 kilograms to approximately 200,000 kilograms.
In terms of sea fishing industry, trawl net and gill net take precedence over longline fishing and handline fishing. The kinds of fishes include gizzard shed, hairtail, threadfin, stingray, scad (sea cucumber), shrimp, and crab. In light of shallow sea culture, oyster farming is cultivated via stone stripe style, flat hanged style, and stick style in the west and north sea area, whereas sea weed and cage and net growing are instilled in the south sea area. The total area for land fish farming occupies approximately 22 acres, including extensive style for growing grass carp, carp, and tilapia, and semi-intensive style for growing grass shrimp, whiteleg shrimp, Japanese sea perch, and sea bream.
The Kinmen County government has set up Fisheries Research Institute, in charge of fishing and experiment and promotion of fish farming industry, operating investigation of oceanic fisheries, accumulating fishing information, and breeding of fish species. In addition, in order to revitalize the development of fishing industry, we proceed to construct Xinhu Fishing Port, to carry out the improvement of pathways to the sea gateway in the village, to implement the expansion projects of Lieyu Luocuo Fishing Port and Fukuodun Fishing Port, to add loading/unloading fish area and freezing equipment, to subsidy fishermen for updating main engine of fishing boat, outboard engine, and hauler, to set up GPS of fishing boat and fisheries station, to throw huge amount of artificial reefs and hatchery-bred fish species into the sea, and to ban illegal fishermen across the border from mainland China for breaking through the bottleneck during fishing industry development.
The development of Kinmen Livestock used to breed small amount of pigs, cows, sheep, chickens, and ducks as supplementary business for farmers. Later, under the promotion of the government, local large-scale pig farms, cow farms, and chicken farms were established for enterprise management to set up pure-bred pigs and livestock hygiene slaughter houses. Kinmen possesses approximately 650,000 fowls and about 30,000 livestock. There are Livestock Research Institute and Animal and Plant Disease Control Center for promotion of livestock experiments and prevention of fowl diseases. In addition, Formosan Sika Deer Ranch and recreational facilities are set up. Livestock Research Institute breeds cows which produce fresh milk for special sale to school children and soldiers. The annual production exceeds 510,000 bottles. Moreover, all kinds of Popsicle products are developed to meet the demands of the market, with total annual production of over 210,000 sticks.
The lack of water resources is a key issue for the development of Kinmen, particularly facing great difficulties after the promotion of tourism. Artificial lakes and dams are long been used to store water. Droughts and the human activities held on the water storage area have made water volume and water quality difficult to be controlled. Hence, the future development of water resources should start from fulfilling the future water supply and preventing pollution. Nevertheless, low rainfalls, high degree of evaporation, disproportional time distribution of rainfalls, limited area of water storage, and the direct flow of rainfall to the sea all contribute to the meager lack of usable water resources, making capacity and quality of water resources and development extremely difficult.
The water consumption increases along with the opening of tourism. The current annual water supply reaches approximately 7300,000 tons. In order to cope with the growth of living, industry, and tourism, we initiate to reach the goal of “Kinmen Area Water Resource Comprehensive Development Plan” for 2011, of which we open new lakes and dams, build Seawater Desaltation Plant, intersect water engineering, and conserve water consumption. Furthermore, “Kinmen Area Public Water Supply System Engineering” is undertaking; current lakes and dams are improving and dredging; old water pipes are placing; water supply facilities are renewing; and GIS internet system is under constructing. All efforts are to ensure the flexible distribution of water supply to upgrade economic development and inhabitants’ quality of life.
Insufficient resources, limited revenue, and short income lead the finance income of Kinmen County to rely on subsidy and grant-in-aid, occupying 41 % of yearly income; the second major income comes from profits of public business and enterprises, occupying 35 percent. In terms of yearly expenditure, economic development takes precedence over educational science, 30 % and 25 % respectively. The major construction budge within Kinmen County has long relied on the financial aid from the central government. In the recent years, the social security welfare system is getting more important, and the percentage of expenditure (16%) is increasing each year. The total budget of Kinmen County Government for yearly income in 2004 was $NTD 7,742,761,000 and yearly expenditure was $NTD 9,337,329,000. The total budget for yearly income in 2005 was $NTD 7,607,228,000 and yearly expenditure was $NTD 9,717,590,000. The scale was the record high. The discrepancy between yearly income and yearly expenditure was covered by the capital gain of the previous yearly budget.
While investigating the future development and demands of public facilities, we aim to balance our income and expenditure via initiating broadening resources and reducing expenditure, breaking through the bottleneck of Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor marketing, and enriching local incomes. In addition, we shall suggest the central government and related departments timely raise budget subsidy and special project subsidy to shorten the distance between urban cities and offshore islands as well as to balance urban and rural development.
Geographical uniqueness and limitations in Kinmen County lead to different developments from those of Taiwan. In terms of gross national product, GDP in 1976 reached approximately $NTD 24,000 per person and $NTD 300,000 per person in 2003 (with equivalence of $USD 8,889). The GNP of Kinmen is different from that of Taiwan. Accordingly, it awaits the further cooperation of local government and all Kinmen inhabitants to obtain higher GNP to prosper economy and increase local comprehensive development.
Convenient highways lead us to everywhere in Kinmen with the total length of roads of over 369,000 kilometers, the highest density in the Republic of China. The roads are paved either with cement or stone matrix. Currently, all kinds of vehicles reach 41,700 pieces.
In terms of public bus system, bus routes circulate all over villages in Kinmen, providing convenient bus transit service to soldiers and inhabitants. In order to cope with the tourism development in the future, Public Bus and Ferry Management Office builds Public Bus Building, purchases large-scale air-conditioned buses every year, and upgrades service quality. In addition, in order to maintain smooth traffic and secure inhabitants and vehicles, we expand major and secondary roads, improve high-risk roads, as well as set up traffic safety facilities to renew street lights and traffic signs.
In terms of public road supervision, Kinmen County set up Motor Vehicles Office, in charge of automatic license tests and vehicle inspections. Recently, the economic prosperity and the increase of Gross National Product have made the fast growth of private vehicles. In order to cope with the demands of future development, Motor Vehicles Office builds up Supervision building, opens automatic license park and computerized inspection facilities, as well as implements computer on-line process along with other Motor Vehicles Offices in Taiwan to grasp overall control of vehicle management.
In terms of air traffic, we used to rely on military charters. Ever since 1987, Far Eastern Air Transport had started Taiwan to Kinmen line and later TransAsia Airways and Uni Air joined the transit service for tourists between Taiwan and Kinmen. In 1991, Civil Aeronautics Administration, Ministry of Transportation and Communications invested approximately $NTD 1.1 billion to build Kinmen Third-Scale Civil Airport. In order to alleviate the safety reasons caused by the foggy season at Shangyi airport, in 1999 and 2000, more investments were set off to expand airport building, to build a new tower, to expand runways and to improve navigation facilities. On September 3, 2003, Instrument Landing System (ILS) was launched to upgrade efficient navigation. It is hoped to provide safer, more efficient and comfortable air traffic services.
In terms of telecommunications, the manual long distance phone has started between Taiwan and Kinmen since 1989, launching the open-door history of telecommunications in Kinmen. Undersea communications cables rid of difficulties to function in 1991 when Kinmen area gradually opened domestic and long distance direct phone services, marching Kinmen Telecommunications into an automatic era. In order to expand postal service, Kinmen Post Office starts express mail in coordination with chartered flights as well as on-line saving service and ATM service to bring more convenience to soldiers and inhabitants in Kinmen.
In terms of sea and port, Liaoluo Port is the only commerce port in Kinmen, currently possessing 30 passenger and cargo ferries sailing between Kinmen and Kaohsiung, or Hualien, Keelung, Taichung, and Tainan respectively with annual cargo throughout of approximately 70 tons. Since Liaoluo port embodies little space with limitations for pier extension, it can not become one of excellent big ports. Accordingly, after the approval of the central government, Kinmen Shuitou commerce port was under construction in the Shuitou sea area since 2001, along with other construction projects, such as west breakthrough construction, north breakthrough, pier and dredging construction, additional floating dock in Shuitou port and basin construction. Shuitou Tourist Custom Service Center and Office Building were open for service on November 7, 2005.
Shuitou Port and Jiugung Port are the gateways between Greater Kinmen and Lesser Kinmen. In order to provide tourists and cargo transportation with better services, constructions such as expansion and extension of pier, purchase of new cargo ferries, and opening of floating docks are undertaking. Currently, Bus and Ferry Management Office possesses ferries such as Wujiang Ferry, Fuguo Ferry, Yuming Ferry, Taiwu Ferry, in charge of transportation of passengers and cargo between Greater Kinmen and Lesser Kinmen. Furthermore, private investments join to provide over 20 passenger and cargo ferries for sea transport between Greater Kinmen and Lesser Kinmen.
In order to improve the traffic problem between Greater Kinmen and Lesser Kinmen, planning and design of “Kinmen Bridge” is on the way. After the completion of this century-big project, it will not only immediate alleviate offshore traffic problems, but also turn itself into the new landmark imbued with tourism value. In addition, the plausibility of Jindeng Bridge Construction, the evaluation of authorized service agents, and preliminary inspection report are completed.
In order to carry out effective mission of “mini-three links,” regular seaborne transportation between Kinmen and Xiamen is scheduled, with regular routes on Taiwu Ferry between Kinmen and Xiamen on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays during the first stage. Currently, the private-owned big passenger ferries, such as Marco Polo Ferry, Orient Star, and New Kinglung Ferry, join the service for tourist transport between Kinmen and Xiamen.
The minerals within Kinmen County include china clay and granite. The mining of china clay in Kinmen has been stopped due to limited resources, thick surface layer, high cost of mining, and severe harm to the ecological environment. The maintenance and preservation of deserted mining area is taken place. In addition, the mining of granite is gradually reduced due to the scarce resources. Accordingly, the local architectural demands for rocks and materials are purchased from Taiwan or mainland China. The granite factory in Kinmen is transformed into Maintenance Center for road and street light maintenance.
Kinmen County Ceramics Works is the only official kiln in R.O.C. (also known as Xianzhou Official Kiln or Kinmen Official Kiln), renowned for its reproductions of antiques, painted wall panel, and art objects with Qinghua and crystallized glaze. In accordance with the development of tourism industry, Kinmen Ceramics Museum was opened, and shaping clay on potter’s wheel classrooms and painting classrooms are established.
Kinmen Liquor Factory was first established in 1953. Five decades have passed and the series of Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor has won the hearts of wine-lovers. The revenue of selling Kinmen Kaoliang has long been the primary economic source of the local government, which gained large profit for county development. Kinmen Liquor Factory produces 38% Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor, Quality Kaoliang Liquor, low-alcohol content Kaoliang Liquor, Dah Chuu Liquor, and other special designed liquor. Along with the implementation of tobacco and liquor tax and blossom of white liquor, we aim to decide our future strategy, to strengthen our marketing ability, and to initiate exploring grand market in mainland China and overseas.
The height demand for Kinmen Kaoliang also motivated the Kinmen Liquor Factory to complete the expansion of production line. In addition, a second distillery store was built in 1995, locating at the former fruit mountainous area. The secondary distillery is more modern, automated, and computerized administrative than its predecessor. We aim to efficiently carry out the enhancement of research quality, to continue develop new products, to renew packaging, and to enhance the production capacity of liquor, product image, and price. It is hoped that Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor Inc. will soon reach the dreams of “Kaoliang Liquor Specialized Zone” and “Kingdom of Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor” via the expansion of production lines and continuous development of brewing skills.
In order to provide better care for farmers of sorghum, barley, and wheat, purchase policy of secured value and contract regulations are developed. The government-run Kinmen Liquor Factory was incorporated to its scheduled privatization and to enhancement of market competitiveness. In February 1998, it was formally renamed to Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor Inc. to expand all levels of operation and upgrade the market position of Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor. Accordingly, after the implementation of the tobacco and liquor tax, the profit gain of Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor sale still continues to grow steadily. Kaoliang Liquor sells so well that it generates $NTD 9,060,000,000 in revenue in 2004 sale and $NTD 9,333,250,000 in revenue in 2005 sale, the record high for Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor Inc. In addition, Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor, Inc. set up special stores in Xianmen, Chuanzhou, Fuzhou since September 2004 and has obtained trade mark from mainland China on November 21, 2005 for exploring the potential mainland China market.
Kinmen Power Company was founded in 1967, gradually building five power plants, in charge of providing power resources to all soldiers and inhabitants in Kinmen. Kinmen Power Company used to rely on light diesel oil, and its high cost created financial burden to management. Ever since 1992, the central government approved Kinmen Power Company to authorize Taiwan Power Company for five-year management. All kinds of power developments are invested by Taiwan Power Company, which greatly help the regional economic development. In July 1997, Kinmen Power Company was officially incorporated into Taiwan Power Company in cooperation with lift of Battlefield Administration Affairs in Kinmen area and the increasing power demands derived from tourism after the “mini-three links.” Meanwhile, in accordance with the power construction policy, Tashan Power Plant was built in 1999 near the Tashan area in Shuitou village of Jincheng town, equipped with eight engines in installed capacity of 64,000 watts and currently incorporated into power system. Other small-scale power plants such as Taiwu, Luguang, and Chuangjiang Power Plants were discontinued to reduce cost. It is estimated that there will be enough power supply until 2009. In addition, in order to cope with the increase of electricity consumption and the prevention of lack of fuel oil, a petroleum transmission trestle pier is built near the Tashan Power Plant for transmission of ferry and fuel oil.
Confined to the geographically subjective and objective factors, Kinmen industry and commerce has no large-scale enterprises. Major markets congregate among Jincheng, Shanwai, Shamei, and Dunglin. Dealers and retailers account for 10,041 stores, along with 162 hotels and restaurants, 187 manufacturers, 71 construction companies, and some transportation and finance and insurance companies.
In terms of financial institutes, Taiwan Bank and Land Bank of Taiwan both set up branches in Kinmen. Private-owned Fuhua Bank set up its branch in December 2004.
In addition, Kinmen Credit Cooperative can handle deposit and payment affairs. Up to the end of 2004, total deposits reach up to $NTD 55,450,000,000 and total loans accumulate up to $NTD 4,990,000,000.
In the past, Kinmen used to have loose land cadastre management. Land reform has begun since 1951. After five decades of efforts, significant success is revealed in the areas of cadastral resurvey, land-to-the-tiller policy, release of public land, equalization of land rights, and farmland readjustment, with particular impact in farmland readjustment. Land Administration Center was founded in 1954 and was reformed to Land Administration Bureau in 1990, in charge of county land cadastre management, land registration, farmland registration, and resurvey of farm residence. Due to the limited and scattered farming area, unclear borderline, as well as inconvenient farming and management, Kinmen County implemented farmland readjustment in 1965 and has completed more than 4,000 acres of farmland readjustment.
In order to strengthen management of land cadastre, to ensure personal property, and to correspond with demands of economic construction development, farmland cadastral resurvey and residence cadastral resurvey have been carried out since 1978, with completion of more than 34,000 cases. The resurvey process is done by measurement of numerical method in accordance with computer process to effectively upgrade precision of measurement and prevent land conflict. Along with the transformation of social economic organization and the enhancement of land usage value, the continuous war-situation, lack of land administrative professionals, the loose control of land management and inhabitants’ weak concept for land registration all contribute to the complicated and complex problems nowadays. The Kinmen County government has assisted inhabitants to solve land problems derived from their private land falsely registered for public or military use. We aim to efficiently protect inhabitants’ land rights so we have endeavored to gain the agreement of the central government to allow inhabitants for reapplication of their land ownership in accordance with related regulations of safety and readjustment act. This service policy has won great reputation from Kinmen inhabitants.
Kinmen has been renowned for its traditional flair imbued with good public security. Along with the transformation of political system and open society, travel limitations between Taiwan and Kinmen are lifted. The incremental Cross-Strait peace and the implementation of “mini-three links” allow the fishing boats from mainland China congregate around the outer sea of Kinmen for seizing opportunities for small-scale business. Accordingly, the used-to-be closed and simple offshore county ends up with complicated and difficult public security problems.
In order to efficiently get rid of crime and secure social order, the Police Bureau, Kinmen County and the police stations of each township or town have strengthened all kinds of software and hardware facilities, such as expansion of police bureau, office buildings, and police dormitory. Furthermore, we have expanded investigation facility and strengthened volunteer police and inhabitant guards to help each township, town, village form self-help protection groups. In terms of police structure, we have obtained full-scale help from the central government to expand the additional crew.
In order to protect safety and security of Kinmen County, Coast Guard Administration, Executive Yuan, has established coast guard agencies equipped with large-scale coast guard cruises to effectively patrol the coast of Kinmen, to realize the prevention of smuggling and illegal immigration, and to provide inhabitants with a safe and peaceful living environment.
The impact of open society and the lift of strict building policy lifting have led to the rapid bloom of high-rise buildings in each township and town. The number keeps growing with twelve-floor buildings. In order to effectively carry out fire prevention and rescue mission, Kinmen County expanded the Fire Agency previously belonged to the Police Office to the Fire Bureau. The Fire Bureau has now built its own business building at Hunan Plain of Jinning Township. In addition, Jinning Fire Brigade, Jinsha Fire Brigade, Jinhu Fire Brigade, and Lieyuh Fire Brigade have consecutively completed its own office buildings. The establishment of Fire Bureau in Kinmen County not only obtains reasonable staff organization, but also initiates to purchase large-scale aerial ladder fire-fighting trucks. Furthermore, we aim to expand training for volunteer firemen, to hold fire and rescue rehearsal, as well as to handle fire safety investigation of office buildings and specialized locations. All efforts hope to realize service items such fire prevention, hazard rescue, and urgent rescue to secure safety of inhabitants’ life and property.
In 1972, Kinmen County begun to implement urban planning for Jincheng city for Jinhu new city as well as partial urban planning for Jinsha and Wensha in order to promote the environmental protection and usage of land and natural resources in Kinmen area, to secure reasonable distribution for population and business activity, to increase public welfare, to rationally plan land for improving living environment, and to lead regional comprehensive well-rounded developments. Most of other areas without urban planning possess low development value, including farm residence, natural villages, farm lands and other deserted grass land or drought lands
After the lift of Battlefield Administration Affairs in 1992, Kinmen Specialized Zone Plan (Greater and Lesser Kinmen Comprehensive Urban Planning) was launched. It was announced and carried out in January 1996, with a total land area of 149 square kilometers for 25 years from 1992 to 2016. Under the guidance of Specialized Zone Plan, it is hoped to organize the whole island into a multi-core development mode, connected each core with convenient transportation system. Hence, land use, transportation transit system, public facility, as well as establishment and improvement of tourist and recreational areas are undertaking.
Realization and implementation of Specialized Zone Plan will help current actual societal demands, future developments, and economic developments to reach the goal of land usage. In order to help Kinmen Specialized Zone Plan correspond with local actual development and inhabitants’ needs, we held comprehensive evaluation process for Kinmen Specialized Zone Plan via public exhibition of proposal and map, public hearing for feedback to provide references for urban planning committees, and current investigation and location inspection of each township and town authorized by Land Consolidation Engineering Bureau, Ministry of the Interior.
In order to promote public health and improve inhabitants’ health, Health Bureau is set up under the Kinmen County Government, along with County Hospital and Public Health Center. Health Bureau is in charge of health prevention, disease prevention, medical affairs, pharmaceutical affairs, food hygiene management, business sanitation, establishment of Mental Health Center and Long-term Care Center, skill improvement, and health education, overlooking medical care business of County Hospital as well as public health affairs of each Public Health Center. In the past, it set off excellent foundation in rat plague, acta parasite, filariasis, tuberculosis, prevention of trachoma, promotion of family planning, and immunization. In the recent years, we endeavor to proceed with prevention of chronic disease, follow-up cure of all kinds of public health medical projects, promotion of public health, training for medical and public health staff, promotion of medical upgrade, and establishment of medical line after emergency. The impact has been so significant that it helps promote inhabitants’ health.
In order to strengthen medical care insurance and patient service, Kinmen County has invested $NTD 1,000,000,000 in 1980 to complete the medical building of Kinmen County Hospital and invested $NTD 46,000,000 to build County Hospital in Lieyu. Meanwhile, we initiated to renew medical facilities, to purchase advanced equipments, and to strengthen doctors’ on-the-job training in order to upgrade medical quality and seek medical cooperation with other medical institutions in Taiwan to bring more benefit to patients. Due to the offshore island, the medical investment and burden are overwhelming. In order to reduce investment burden and upgrade medical level, Kinmen County Hospital was cooperated into Kinmen Hospital, Executive Yuan, bringing a huge blessing to soldiers and inhabitants in Kinmen.
After the lift of Battlefield Administration Affairs, in order to cope with the gradually important environmental problems and the enhancement of inhabitants’ consciousness, Kinmen County set up Environmental Protection Bureau in 1990, in charge of prevention and control of air pollution (including control of stationary pollution source, control of mobile pollution sources, and control of pollution source emission), water protection, waste disposal control, recycling, noise control (including regular environmental noise and air noise control), control of environmental pesticides, evaluation of environmental impact, and introduction of environmental education.
In order to ensure air and water quality, Environmental Bureau lists manufacturers and business organizations and exercises regular and irregular investigation and inspection. In order to prevent oceanic pollution, Environmental Bureau initiates investigation and inspection of coastal environmental quality and rehearsal of oil pollution rescue to ensure the sustainable utilization of marine resources.
In terms of environmental protection and inhabitants’ health, Environmental Bureau, via each environmental agency in each township and town, proceeds with promotion of many missions, such as regular evaluation of impact, beach cleaning, public toilet check-up, recycling procedure, disposal management, prevention of insects and rats.
In particular, in order to realize recycling and reduce the volume of waste, Environmental Bureau has vigorously trained recycling agents to launch plastic recycling, to expand recycling and reuse of kitchen waste, as well as recycling and reuse of large garbage, and to prohibit use of plastic bag and disposable utensils. The effect of recycling is so impressive that it helps bring great benefit to waste management.
Green Living is the most fundamental and important step of environmental enhancement. Consequently, Environmental Bureau lists introduction and promotion of environmental education as the key mission, integrating schools and military to proceed with introduction and promotion as well as rooting in environmental education in communities and villages. It aims to increase inhabitants’ environmental consciousness and reach the mutual goal of sustainable environment. This impact has won great impact and the endeavor shall accordingly continue.
In order to effectively promote the social affairs construction, the Kinmen County Government sets up three sections under Social Affairs Bureau, including Social Welfare Section, Social Affairs Administration Section, and Labor Administration Section. Datong Home for Children and Senior Citizens is a welfare institution, taking care of homeless old people, children, and adolescents. Social-Welfare Hall promotes social welfare. In addition, Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Prevention Center handles domestic violence and sexual assault cases.
Kinmen County vigorously promotes providing care to special groups, including children, adolescents, women, old people, and disadvantaged groups. In addition, we establish complete social services and welfare systems via expansion of social welfare, emergency rescue, promotion of community development, volunteer service and management of social services, establishment of civil organization and non-profit organization, strengthening overseas inhabitants’ services, career counseling services, labor union counseling and laborer’s welfare, and establishment of county disadvantaged social welfare agency (welfare agency).
In terms of promotion of social welfare, parts of the policy in Kinmen County have made the number one record in the nation, including $NTD 6,000 of old-age citizens’ welfare living allowance per person per month, $NTD 6,000 of maternity allowance per baby, free bus and ferry for county inhabitants, $NTD 500,000 for maximum casualty stipend, free lunch for elementary and junior high school children, subsidy for diaper fees for disadvantaged group, free meal delivery for old people who live alone, establishment of urgent rescue security system, and promotion of subsidy for fake tooth for the old over 60 from middle or lower income family. In order to strengthen promotion of social welfare services, the Kinmen County government invests huge amount of budget to meet the demands of realizing social welfare.
Kinmen, offshore of coast on four sides and typical archipelago, possesses limited resources. Kinmen’s historical background and actual environment reveal that the future comprehensive development in Kinmen should lie in tourism to fully expand tourism industry to further motivate the overall development in Kinmen County.
Kinmen embodies rich cultural assets, Fujian-style exotic architectural buildings, and scenic spots all over the island, along with 21 national relics and 12 county designated relics. In addition, Kinmen scored a couple of decisive victories, such as Guningtou Battle, the Battle of Dadan and Erdan, the 93 Battle, the 823 Artillery Battle, and the 617 Battle. The rich war relics and military factories, with long-term closed mysterious veil and its unique bird resources imbued with excellent natural ecology, all contribute to the ideal criteria for tourism.
To enhance tourism development and recreational value of the Kinmen islands, Transportation and Tourism Bureau is set up for tourism services to organize tourism promotion committee and provide counseling for private tourism associations. In addition, we vigorously endeavor to maintain and renovate tourist spots and historic relics, to strengthen expansion and improvement of roads, to explore all kinds of recreational zone for an excellent tourist environment, to open new sources of water and electricity for enhancement of environmental functions and beautification of landscape, to improve Taiwan-Kinmen and offshore air and sea travel, to build a new modern airport, to internalize the management of the Kinmen Alcohol Corp., to professionalize the ceramic industry, artify granite products, and counsel private-owned tourism industry, to upgrade local specialty variety and packaging image, and to counsel the upgrade of recreational agriculture. Furthermore, we will hold workshops for tour and relics guides, set up “Kinmen Tourism Service Center” at Kinmen airport, providing all kinds of tour services and a variety of tourist guide books. Meanwhile, we will obtain military’s approval to clean up the coastal land mines. In order to boost the prosperous development of tourism industry in Kinmen area, the cooperation among all walks of life is undertaking.
In 1993, the central government effectively sponsored Kinmen to promote full-scale tourism. Accordingly, Ministry of the Interior was entitled to organize “Kinmen National Park,” which directly and effectively enriched tourism resources of Kinmen and led Kinmen into a tourist county. In addition, the Kinmen County government also works on gaining more subsidy from the central government in coordination with Kinmen’s tourism public projects, such as Kinmen County Number 1 Park, Kinmen Windlion God Stone Sculpture Park Project, Jincheng Beach Park in Juguang Lake, investment of landscape project of Yangshan Tourist Area in Lesser Kinmen, Sea Baths in Xibian and Lieyu, opening of public facilities in Hohu and Oucuo, construction of public facilities, and development of Jinguishan Tourist Area. Furthermore, we promote theme tours, including “Fujian-style Culture,” “Battle History,” “Coastal Recreation,” and “Natural Ecology” in accordance with policy plans of “Tourism Leading County; Culture Enriching Kinmen.”
Kinmen County used to be a traditional agricultural society with farm village architecture in Fujian-style architecture community group, imbued with narrow streets, simple sewage system, dirty village image, livestock living next to inhabitants, and lack of public facility. Moreover, farm life in the early agricultural village was meager, and farmers survived to make a living with no spare time for living environment protection. The continuous wars in the 1950s and 1960s led the government to solely focus on the reestablishment of post-war farm villages.
Ever since 1971, the Kinmen County Government has used the loans provided by the central government to set up new communities in each township and town, to counsel inhabitants to build up modern public housing, and to strategically launch village reestablishment. The key areas include expansion and improvement of village roads, tearing down and moving of livestock huts and traditional toilets, renovation of village sewage system, expansion of kitchen and restroom facility, establishment of front yard for drying rice, and promotion of community beautification. The reestablishment covers villages and lanes all over the island.
In order to effectively upgrade the living environment quality of community, full-scale country community reestablishment is carried out. Along with the enhancement of inhabitants’ quality of life, the full-scale development policy leads to the establishment of many new communities. Many fancy buildings are under construction and bloomy prosperity is demonstrated at every corner of Kinmen County. After the lift of Battlefield Administration Affairs, the demands for street lights rose. The county government followed the civil consensus to further improve the quality of living environment. Since 1992, street lights have been first set up along Mingshen Road and Minchuan Road in Jincheng area, as well as Huqian Road and Huanghai Road in Jinhu area, and other street lights were set up consecutively in other villages and lanes as well as in other tourist areas to reach the goal of complete sea of lights all over Kinmen. The establishment of street lights not only enhances the safety of travel for inhabitants at night but also brings positive effect to tourism.
Since the Tang dynasty, Superintendent Chen Yuan led residents to move in large numbers to the island, transforming the wildness into an earthly paradise. During his sojourn in the Song dynasty, Zhu Xi indoctrinated the people with Confucianist ethics, thus purifying the social climate. Accordingly, a number of natives passed government examinations, more than 40 of them claimed all the way to high-ranking positions. Kinmen, an important fortified outpost and gateway between Taiwan and Fujian, has a wealth of historical relics. Kinmen historical assets feature ancestral residence, honorific arches, magnificent tombs, solemn shrines, and splendid temples. The impact of continuous battles in the past centuries has led to the decaying of historical relics. In order to retain the scarce precious assets and renovate them from the aftermath of bombing, renovation and preservation of historical relics are carried out in accordance with “Cultural Heritage Preservation Law.” Under the strong support of the central government, the Kinmen County Government proceeds with the preservation and renovation of relics, including Kui Hall, Cai Family’s Ancestral Hall in Qungling, Zenwei’s Residence in Gulungtou, Li Family Ancestral Hall in Xishancian, Stable Master’s Shrine in Fenglianshan, Qing Kinmen Military Headquarter, Qiou Lianggung’s Mother Chastity Honorific Arch, Huang Family Youtang Villa in Shueitou, Xujiangxiaowo Stone Tablets, Zhu Zi Shrine, Chen Jian’s Tomb, Wentai Pagoda, Ciou Lianggung’s Tomb, General’s Residence, and County Magistrate Wu’s Abode in Lieyu. Meanwhile, renovation is completed to Maoshan Pagoda in Shueitou and Daoying Pagoda in Mt. Taiwu to re-display the glamour of three pagodas—Maoshan, Daoying, and Wentai.
Kinmen has numerous historical relics of which 1 has been selected as Grade 1 relics, of 7 as Grade 2 relics, of 13 as Grade 3 relics, of 12 as County Designated relics. They are listed as follows:
- Grade 1 Relics:
- Qiou Lianggung’s Mother Chastity Honorific Arch
- Grade 2 Relics:
- Wentai Pagoda
- Chen Zhen’s Tomb
- Cai Family’s Ancestral Hall, Qungling
- Zhu Zi Shrine
- Xujiangxiaowo Stone Tablets
- Chen Jian’s Tomb
- Huang Family’s Youtang Villa, Shueitou
- Grade 3 Relics:
- Stable Master’s Shrine, Fenglianshan
- Hanying Yungen Petroglyph
- Guexing Tower
- Cheng Family’s Three Women Honorific Arch, Qungling
- Li Family’s Abode, Xishancian
- Lu Ruoteng’s Historical Residence and Tomb
- Shuiwei Tower, Gulungtou
- Haiyin Temple and Shimen Gate
- Ciou Lianggung’s Tomb
- Zenwei’s Residence, Gulungtou
- Chen Zhen’s Honorific Arch
- Qing Kinmen Military Headquarter
- Cai Panlung’s Tomb
- County Designated Relics:
- Wen Yingju’s Tomb
- General’s Residence
- Chen Xian’s Tomb
- Li Family’s Ancestral Hall, Xishancian
- Zheng Family’s Ancestral Hall, Dongxi
- Huang Wei’s Tomb
- Huang Bian’s Tomb
- Zhou Family’s Abode, Pubian
- Guande Bridge
- Yang Hua’s Historical Residence
- County Magistrate Wu’s Abode, Lieyu
- Cide Temple
After the 50-year barred contact of cross-strait, the most enlightening event was the introduction of “mini-three links.” The first ferry service between the offshore Liaoluo Harbor, Kinmen to Heping Harbor, Xiamen was finally supported by efforts of the central government and implemented on January 2, 2001. In May 2002, a delegation of businessmen from Kinmen County traveled to Xiamen via the route to join the Taiwan Expo held in Xiamen.
Whether taking a step under the guidance under “mini-three links” will be an important breakthrough. In particular, it signifies huge positive impact in shortening the distance of marching into peace. Overseas Kinmen people in Fujian were invited for home-coming and Guangzhou Kaojia Theatre Group was invited to perform in Kinmen. The dump barges full of goods between Kinmen and Guangzhou or Fuzhou came to Kinmen for large-scale product exhibitions. Goddess Mazu from Meizhou came to Kinmen for the merciful tour and the exchange among private groups across the strait is getting popular.
In addition, daily regular ferries were under constant negotiation for gradual expansion. Since February 3, 2004, regular ferries currently sail 12 times from each strait via three ferries from Kinmen to Xiamen and vice versa. The regulations of Taiwanese business returning to Taiwan via the route of Kinmen and the school establishment of Taiwanese students in Kinmen indicate that the mutual trust and interaction between two straits mature to a better level. In September 2003, Magistrate Lee Chu-Feng with a group of delegation joined 7th Xiamen Commerce Meeting and Guangzhou Tourism Festival. On December 7, 2004, people from Fujian province were open for visit in Kinmen. It is hoped that open of “mini-three links” to varying degrees and people will upgrade the full functions of “mini-three links” and further realize the upcoming gradual expansion of “grand-three links.”
The establishment of a nation lies in education and cultural construction. The density of schools and the popularization of education in Kinmen area have reached 99.36 percentage of school children to school-aged children in junior high and elementary schools. This is a unique characteristic of education development. Kinmen Senior High School and Kinmen Senior Vocational High School are transformed into national-owned in 1984; National Kinmen Institute of Technology was officially founded in August 2003.
The local government fully endeavors to develop education of junior high school, elementary school and pre-school. Currently, Kinmen County has five junior high schools, 19 elementary schools, 60 independent and elementary-owned kindergartens, with total student population of 11,000, occupying 17.2 percent of total population. In addition, full-scale free education has been given to pre-school children since 1998, which helps realize the popularization of pre-school education, marking the number one record in the nation.
Under the guidance of policy from Ministry of Education, we have obtained budget from the central government to upgrade educational quality in Kinmen. We have endeavored to effectively improve the software and hardware facilities of junior high and elementary schools, to provide educational staff with on-the-job training, to strengthen educational counseling and investigation, to conduct curriculum reform and promotion, to begin special education, to upgrade civil education and law concept education, to promote science educational activities, as well as to realize information and foreign language learning to connect with the world. In order to alleviate the safety concern for children going in and out of school and reduce parents’ financial burden, free lunch system has been given to junior high and elementary school children since 1999 all over Kinmen County. This policy reveals how the Kinmen County Government pays great importance on education.
The central government is impressed with the genuine traditional flair in Kinmen and worries about the negative effect derived from the myth of educational fantasy, which severely distorts the character development of schoolchildren and indirectly forms negative societal images. Hence, the central government has ordered Ministry of Education to fully support the improvement of software and hardware facilities of educational institutions in Kinmen and organize Kinmen into a model area for citizen education for the whole nation to emulate.
In addition, all levels of schools are authorized to hold various kinds of cram education, to hold diploma verification exam, and to encourage inhabitants’ life-long learning. The large-scale gymnasiums in Kinmen County include County gym, sports field, and in-door swimming pools, not only providing locations for county, large-scale middle school, or elementary school integrative sports events, but also holding all kinds of recreational activities for physical and mental health. In order to strengthen the promotion of sports, 24 sports associations are set up, such as track and field, balls, martial arts, swimming, recreational dancing, and the like. We endeavor to promote major sports and strengthen athletes’ training to form teams for national sports competitions.
To expand the knowledge repertoire of inhabitants and upgrade the quality of civil servants, National Open College began to offer classes in the 1970s. National Open University set up National Open University Kinmen Counseling Center in 1989 to provide regional adults with convenience for extension of education.
Kinmen Community College was founded in September 2003, opening classes to speed up the regional comprehensive development and providing inhabitants with more solid and in-depth learning environment.
National Sun Yat-sen University and Ming Chuan University both set up on-the-job extension courses in Kinmen. The gradual higher education institutions in Kinmen will definitely help incubate elites and specialists of the region and help upgrade academic research status.
Education is an indispensable part in Kinmen County’s policy plans. While facing the challenge of cross-strait development and implementation of mini-three links, Magistrate Magistrate Lee Chu-Feng and Legislator Wu Cheng-dian have vigorously negotiated to obtain agreement and approval of related cross-strait agencies in order to assist the educational problems of oversea Taiwanese businessmen in China, to excel Kinmen’s unique geographical location, and to contribute to the cross-strait relationship and prosperity of Kinmen. Accordingly, Taiwanese Businessmen Schools have been officially set up in Jincheng Junior School, Jinhu Elementary School, and Kinmen Senior High School since September 2002 with “interactive teaching” principle of no designated class or school.
Kinmen County Cultural Center is incorporated to Cultural Affairs Bureau on July 1, 2004, composed of director, secretary and four sections, including Arts Promotion Section, Library Information Section, Cultural Heritage Section, and General Affairs Section. Cultural Heritage Section, a new founded section, is entitled to the preservation and reuse of historical relics, documents, historical architecture, and traditional architectural villages. The organization and publication of cultural historical documents as well as research and preservation of folklore document are then taken over by Cultural Affairs Bureau.
Cultural Affairs Bureau is in charge of integration and negotiation among culture, books, and cultural assets. There are three independent buildings, such as administration building and library. The administration building houses performance hall, the first and second exhibition hall on the first floor, as well as home of literature and audio-visual room on the second floor to provide inhabitants with multi-functional locations for exhibiting art works, enjoying music, dance, and entertainment performance, as well as holding lectures, workshops, and meetings. Two buildings are inside the library, providing inhabitants and children for reading newspaper, borrowing books, performing folk dance, exercising yoga, exhibiting science products, and providing locations for business.
In 1994, Cultural Affairs Bureau held 32 exhibitions, 54 performances, and 34 library activities. In addition, Cultural Affairs Bureau published 14 kinds of literature books and 4 issues of Literature Kinmen. Furthermore, Cultural Affairs Bureau invited Kaojia Theatre Group of Arts Museum in Fujian province, China, its affiliated folklore entertainment group, Sichuan Face Change Group and Xiyanghung Group in Chuangzhou to perform in Kinmen; Kinmen Chore was invited to perform in Xiamen; monthly Art Festival was held in October. All cultural activities help upgrade the regional arts quality and bring positive effect to the promotion of parent-children education and cross-strait art exchange. In addition, folklore festivals, Chinese New Year Festival, Lantern Festival, Autumn Festival, and New Year Festival are taken place.
Cultural Affairs Bureau had started to launch construction plan of Kinmen Culture Park in September 2001 and had completed 86% of construction plan by December 2004. Kinmen Culture Park was scheduled to complete its comprehensive planning and construction in May 2005. The completion of this construction plan aims to provide inhabitants with a good regional culture, arts, and recreational location to enhance the inner knowledge of civilians.
In order to preserve regional historical architecture, Cultural Affairs Bureau launched census checkup for regional historical architecture. After the evaluation of scholars and experts, 127 completed the registration in accordance with regulations, marking the record high in the nation.
Geographical location and political influence have confined Kinmen to the peculiar war-experienced city over time. Nevertheless the construction under the gun has never ended. After five decades of all kinds of construction plans, the popularization of inhabitants’ life standard has been enhanced. Along with the change of political system, in 1990, the central government set up Offshore Construction Act to organize mini-three links among Kinmen and Matzu islands. It is hoped that under Offshore Construction Act and the guidance of mini-three links, Kinmen is launching a new milestone in the historical process. While fully realizing and promoting open and developing policies, Kinmen will expand and further for better enhancements on the original excellent resources, experiencing the importance of “Surviving over Living; Safety over Freedom.”