Kinmen becomes a mine-free island as the "Mine Clearance Task Force" retires, and a memorial exhibition hall is established

Reporter Chen Ziying / Comprehensive Report

The Kinmen "Mine Clearance Task Force," established in 2007, officially retired today (the 2nd), marking Kinmen as a truly mine-free island. The task force, which aimed to clear a total of 95,806 mines and munitions within seven years, has successfully completed its mission. The inauguration of theMine Clearance Task Force Memorial Exhibition Halladds special significance to this milestone.


▲ The Kinmen Mine Clearance Task Force retired on April 1, and the "Mine Clearance Memorial Exhibition Hall" was established to document this challenging history of demining. It also offers visitors a place to learn about it. The photo shows the outdoor simulation area. (Photo / Provided by Kinmen National Park)

Kinmen’s early role as a military frontline left its coasts heavily mined. As times changed and cross-strait tensions eased, the government mandated that all minefields be cleared within seven years.The military officially formed the "Mine Clearance Task Force" on April 1, 2007. The team’s work spanned from Kinmen to Wuqiu, and even to all 154 minefields on Matsu Island. Wearing orange work uniforms, the demining personnel carefully surveyed and cleared every inch of the outlying islands. By 2013, they had completed all demining operations, removing nearly 100,000 landmines from both Greater and Lesser Kinmen. The accomplished task force was disbanded on April 1, 2014.

The demining work carried out by the task force was extremely challenging.The Kinmen Defense Command established the "Mine Clearance Task Force Memorial Exhibition Hall" within Mingde Park on Mount Taiwu, collaborating with the national park to complete its interior exhibits.The exhibition hall displays demining equipment, landmines, protective gear, as well as detailed information on the history of the minefields and the demining process. Outdoors, military personnel demonstrate simulated demining tasks, offering visitors another way to connect with Kinmen’s wartime past.

Lin Yongfa, Director of Kinmen National Park Administration, stated that in the future, they will integrate the site into tourist routes to help visitors better understand this chapter of demining history. At the same time, they aim to pay tribute to the demining personnel and position Kinmen as an ambassador of peace, inviting people to experience the island through its culture and ecology.