TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — President Lai Ching-te (賴清德) visited Kinmen on Friday (Oct. 25) to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the Battle of Guningtou.
In his speech, Lai emphasized the importance of safeguarding Taiwan’s freedom and democracy from Chinese communist aggression. He repeated previous assurances that under his leadership Taiwan will not cede “a single inch” of territory, including outlying islands like Kinmen, Matsu, or Penghu, reported UDN.
Speaking at the Jinhu Hotel before an audience of veterans and family members, Lai expressed his deepest respect to those who sacrificed their lives during the Battle of Guningtou. More than a dozen veterans who survived the battle also stood to receive a toast from the president and applause from the audience.
Lai said the Battle of Guningtou marked the first time the military had successfully defended Taiwan. Now it is a symbol of the nation’s determination to safeguard sovereignty, per UDN.
“The victory at the Battle of Guningtou tells us that when united as one, we can resist threats against us and as long as we remain firm in our convictions we can protect our homeland,” Lai said.
The Battle of Guningtou occurred in 1949, just weeks after the establishment of the People’s Republic of China on Oct. 1. Hostilities began in the early morning on Oct. 25, when the stealthy advance of Chinese forces approaching by sea was foiled thanks to the accidental detonation of a landmine on shore.
After three days of hostilities, forces stationed on Kinmen were victorious. The engagement was one of the last battles of the Chinese Civil War, with the outcome effectively ruining Mao Zedong’s (毛澤東) plans for a naval operation to take Taiwan.