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62nd Anniversary of the Kinmen Artillery Battle - AIT Director Joins Taiwan President at Military Memorial for the First Time
Today (Aug 23) is the 62nd anniversary of the Artillery Battle initiated by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), China, on Kinmen Island on August 23, 1958. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen presided over the public service and memorial this morning in Kinmen. Director of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) William Brent Christensen also joined the event in Kinmen for the first time. The Central News Agency (CNA) of Taiwan quoted a source close to Taiwan’s national security as saying that Christensen is the first US director level official to attend the commemoration. The sources opined that this sent a significant and positive message that the US and Taiwan were “Real friends with real progress”.
On August 23, 1958, the PLA launched an intense artillery bombardment on Kinmen and fired more than 470,000 shells in the following 44 days. The PLA then changed strategies and attacked Kinmen on odd-numbered days for 20 years, only ceasing fire on January 1, 1979 when Beijing and the US established diplomatic relations. A public service and memorial was held today at the Taiwushan Cemetery. It was presided by Tsai and attended by the Security-General of the National Security Council Wellington Koo, the Minister of National Defense Yen Teh-fa, the Chief of the General Staff Huang Shu-kuang, the Commander of the Army Chen Bao-yu and other Taiwanese military and political officials. In addition, 73 soldiers and nearly 100 surviving family and tribe members of the deceased also attended the ceremony.
Source: Stand News #Aug23
#August23 #Kinmen #ArtilleryBombardment #ArtilleryBattle #Taiwan #AIT #TsaiIngwen #PLA
Today (Aug 23) is the 62nd anniversary of the Artillery Battle initiated by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), China, on Kinmen Island on August 23, 1958. Taiwan President Tsai Ing-wen presided over the public service and memorial this morning in Kinmen. Director of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) William Brent Christensen also joined the event in Kinmen for the first time. The Central News Agency (CNA) of Taiwan quoted a source close to Taiwan’s national security as saying that Christensen is the first US director level official to attend the commemoration. The sources opined that this sent a significant and positive message that the US and Taiwan were “Real friends with real progress”.
On August 23, 1958, the PLA launched an intense artillery bombardment on Kinmen and fired more than 470,000 shells in the following 44 days. The PLA then changed strategies and attacked Kinmen on odd-numbered days for 20 years, only ceasing fire on January 1, 1979 when Beijing and the US established diplomatic relations. A public service and memorial was held today at the Taiwushan Cemetery. It was presided by Tsai and attended by the Security-General of the National Security Council Wellington Koo, the Minister of National Defense Yen Teh-fa, the Chief of the General Staff Huang Shu-kuang, the Commander of the Army Chen Bao-yu and other Taiwanese military and political officials. In addition, 73 soldiers and nearly 100 surviving family and tribe members of the deceased also attended the ceremony.
Source: Stand News #Aug23
#August23 #Kinmen #ArtilleryBombardment #ArtilleryBattle #Taiwan #AIT #TsaiIngwen #PLA