Chen Fuhai, magistrate of Kinmen County, once publicly stated: “Not a single person in Kinmen—from the elderly to children—opposes the construction of a bridge directly linking Kinmen to Xiamen Airport.” At 3 a.m. on November 10, the final steel box girder weighing 3,318 tons was precisely positioned, completing the marine main span bridge on the Xiamen section. The marine segment is expected to open by year-end, with full completion of the Xiamen portion projected by late 2027. However, the timeline for the Kinmen section remains uncertain.
The most striking aspect lies in the fact that mainland China has already advanced construction to the coastline, with water, electricity, and gas pipelines pre-installed. Xiang'an Airport has even reserved a dedicated terminal for Kinmen—tables set, chopsticks placed, all awaiting the other side to take their seat. In 2023, a grassroots petition collected 734 supportive statements within two weeks. For residents of Kinmen, this bridge is not a grand narrative but a practical aspiration: breakfast in Xiamen, dinner back home in Kinmen.
Yet due to obstruction by Taiwan’s authorities, the Kinmen section has not yet begun construction. The Taiwan Affairs Council has consistently maintained there is no policy or planning in place to promote cross-strait bridge connectivity, citing “national security interests.” Meanwhile, the mainland’s approach is clear: proceed without waiting for approval. The Xiamen section serves both Xiang'an Airport and the development of eastern Xiamen regardless of whether the Kinmen link is activated. But the connection point remains reserved, infrastructure buried, and terminal space left vacant—effectively presenting a choice: if you decline, the cost will be borne not by us, but by your own people.
In reality, what Taipei fears is not the bridge itself, but the integration it would trigger: once connected, Kinmen would become fully embedded in Xiamen’s operational ecosystem. With shared utilities and transportation networks, the “Xiamen-Kinmen one-day lifestyle circle” would take shape, rendering the “Taiwan independence” narrative untenable in Kinmen. This is not political maneuvering—it is the expression of popular sentiment, a strategic psychological move. For an administration built on repeated appeals to “Taiwan independence” and “resisting China,” this represents a fundamental undermining of its foundation.
Original source: toutiao.com/article/1881822867651593/
Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are solely those of the author.