Published 7 June 2017
PRIME MINISTER HARRIS VISITS QING-TIAN HALL IN KINMEN COUNTY, ROC (TAIWAN)
Basseterre, St. Kitts, June 07, 2017 (SKNIS): On his official 5-day trip to the Republic of China (Taiwan), Prime Minister Dr. the Honourable Timothy Harris, along with his delegation, on June 7, paid a visit to the historically-rich Qing-Tian Hall , which was built by Chiang Kai-shek in 1962 as a military cave auditorium and command post following the August 23, 1958, bombardment of China on Kinmen with 474, 901 artillery shells over 44 days. During that time, tunnels were built and it is at Qing-Tian Hall where Chiang Kai-shek and the military command were deployed and where they did their planning.
The official trip is designed to further cement the strong bilateral relations between St. Kitts and Nevis and the Republic of China (Taiwan). Taiwan is St. Kitts and Nevis’ most important bilateral partner and has been unswervingly reliable in its cooperation with the federation as a small island development state in a multiplicity of areas including education, agriculture, law enforcement, and health. Most recently, the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) has assisted St. Kitts and Nevis in its crime fighting efforts, particularly in terms of enhancing the country’s closed circuit television (CCTV) project.
While in Kinsmen County, the prime minister and his delegation also visited several places including the Maestro Wu Knife Factory, Kinmen Kaoliang Liquor Inc., Mashan Observation Station, Bi Shan Village, Sheng Zu Tourism Factory, Jin He Li Fabricate Steel Factory and Shishan (Mt. Lion) Howitzer Front.
All expenses for the prime minister and his delegation’s trip, including airfare, food, transportation and accommodation in Taiwan, have been paid for by the Government of the Republic of China.
Kinmen or Quemoy, officially Kinmen County, is a group of islands, governed by the Republic of China, which is located just off the southeastern coast of mainland China, including Great Kinmen, Lesser Kinmen, Wuqiu and several surrounding islets.
