Are There US Troops on Kinmen Island in Taiwan?
Kinmen, a small group of islands belonging to Taiwan, lies less than 10 kilometers from the Chinese mainland. Throughout history, Kinmen has played a surprisingly prominent role in US politics and today, there are even US troops stationed on the island. That is a big deal, considering Kinmen is part of Taiwan, not China.
During the First Taiwan Strait Crisis, two US military consultants were killed when China shelled Kinmen with artillery in 1954. Fortunately, it is no longer under attack. I wrote about this in my article on the Battle of Kinmen.
In this article, I want to take a closer look at the relationship between the United States and Kinmen and, of course, speak about the presence of US troops on the island.
If you want to learn more about Kinmen, check out my Kinmen page. I also wrote a blog post titled Why Is Kinmen Part of Taiwan?, which dives deeper into the historical relationship between Taiwan and the People’s Republic of China (PRC). And of course, I continue to publish videos about Kinmen on YouTube – feel free to watch my Kinmen Travel Tales.
Taiwan’s Defense Minister Confirms U.S. Army Special Forces in Kinmen in 2024
There have long been rumors, but according to Focus Taiwan, Defense Minister Chiu Kuo-cheng confirmed in 2024 that U.S. Army Special Forces personnel would be stationed on Taiwan’s outlying islands. He stated that their presence is part of an exchange program and intended as a “learning opportunity” for Taiwan’s armed forces.
Political scientists have described this as a “monumental shift in U.S. military and foreign policy” – one that “breaks a long-standing taboo” and has major implications for regional stability and U.S.-China relations. They researchers see the presence of elite U.S. forces on Kinmen as a “significant deterrent against potential Chinese aggression”. Moreover, the deployment suppose to send a strong political signal to both China and the international community about the U.S.’s commitment to Taiwan’s defense.
Kinmen Feels Unchanged Despite U.S. Troop Presence
I want to be honest – I do not share this opinion for several reasons. First of all, as a resident of Kinmen, I have not noticed any difference. That may not sound very scientific, but hear me out: Kinmen and Xiamen, just across the water in China, have strong business and social ties. Many Kinmenese have family in China. Living here, I do not feel the threat of a Chinese invasion. After all, Kinmen holds little strategic value for China, and the presence of U.S. troops here is unlikely to have any real impact on regional stability.
Of course, China is not happy about having a piece of Taiwan right on its doorstep – and the presence of U.S. military forces on such a symbolic island probably feels like a provocation. No wonder the INDOPACOM (Indo-Pacific Command) commander was quick to clarify that the deployment of U.S. troops on Kinmen is not permanent.
I could not find any further official details about the U.S. Special Forces presence on Kinmen. I do see Taiwanese soldiers daily – the military is one of the largest employers on the island. But I have never seen anything that even remotely suggested the presence of U.S. Army personnel. So, I assume the number of U.S. troops must be small – too small to enhance Taiwan’s defensive posture.
Kinmen in the Policial Landscape of the USA
Of course, the presence of U.S. troops in Kinmen carries symbolic meaning. It adds to a growing list of instances where Kinmen has appeared in U.S. political discourse. I mentioned in my second video about the latest history of Kinmen that “Quemoy and Matsu” became part of the American political language. The islands were a topic during the 1960 presidential television debates between Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy.
While two candidates were divided over whether it was reasonable to defend Kinmen (Quemoy) and Matsu against a Chinese attack, the Kuomintang (KMT) had not yet abandoned the idea of retaking mainland China themselves. Chiang Kai-shek launched Project Guoguang in 1961 – a plan for a large-scale amphibious invasion of the People’s Republic of China. However, this is more of a side note.
Having US Troops on Kinmen Island Seemed Unlikely
Over time, the conflict around Kinmen became more symbolic than real. Tensions eased somewhat after the failed invasion of Dadan Island in 1950, although artillery shelling of Kinmen continued until 1979. The bombardment finally ceased after the establishment of diplomatic relations between the PRC and the United States.
In my opinion, peace in Kinmen was a bargaining chip between China and the U.S. at the time. I mention all of this because, given its history, it seemed unlikely that U.S. troops would ever be stationed on Kinmen – but it happened. Of course, that is IMHO as a travel vlogger.
By the way, those Chinese artillery shells are the reason we have the famous Kinmen knives today. I talk about the Maestro Wu knife maker in my video about the best products of Kinmen.
Why All the Fuss About U.S. Troops in Kinmen?
Other examples highlight Kinmen’s unique role in Chinese-American relations. Today, Kinmen has transformed into a peaceful tourist destination. Still, it is surprising to discover that U.S. troops are present on this small Taiwanese island.
Their numbers must be minimal, as I found no physical evidence of their presence apart from the defense minister’s confirmation. Also, all the locals I asked were not aware of any US troops. If you know more about American soldiers on Kinmen, please get in touch and let me know. Also, feel free to check out my story on How Kinmen in Taiwan Turned Me into a Travel Vlogger. Otherwise, thank you so much for reading this article.
Comments
3 responses to “Are There US Troops on Kinmen Island in Taiwan?”
[…] As mentioned before, I personally tend to see the Battle of Guningtou as the Battle of Kinmen. Maybe because I am a foreigner. The fact is, Kinmen has seen plenty of conflict. It is good that the island is peaceful today. However, as you will see in my video about the Mashan Outpost, the military still maintains a presence. Also, there are US Troops on Kinmen Island. […]
I was stationed on Kinmen 1970-1971. US Army, Signal Corps assigned to MAAG KDCAT, NCOIC of the comcenter.. Experience the odd day propaganda shelling with souvenirs. F Briddle
thanks for you comment and reading the blog. Are you now back in the US? Did you ever return?