Kinmen - The Taiwanese Island With Strong Links To China

LIEYU, TAIWAN - FEBRUARY 04: An Island that lies inside Taiwan's territory is seen on February 04, 2021 off the coast of Lieyu, an outlying island of Kinmen that is the closest point between Taiwan and China. Kinmen, an island in the Taiwan strait that is part of Taiwan's territory, is so close to China that the deep-water port of Xiamen, one of China's biggest, lies less than three miles away across the water. It is one of the few areas of Taiwan that mainland Chinese tourists can visit without visas or permits, and has deep ties with the adjacent Fujian province of China; locals have seen a boost to their incomes from Chinese tourism in pre-pandemic times. Wartime anti-tank barricades litter the beach and the island also features the Zhaishan tunnel, which Taiwanese forces still reserve the right to use in wartime and for military exercises. (Photo by An Rong Xu/Getty Images)