According to Taiwan’s United Daily News, the “Fengshan Three-Schools Marathon” in Kaohsiung will be held in March, with the race route crossing the campuses of the Army Academy, the Zhongzheng Preparatory School, and the Infantry School. This year marks the fifth edition of the event, but the registration guidelines have introduced a new rule: disqualifying applicants from mainland China or Hong Kong and Macau.
The report stated that the organizers specifically listed “ineligible participants” this year, mainly because a Hong Kong couple participated last year, and the woman took photos along the military school route, which raised concerns from the Taiwanese military. They believed it violated the “Fortress Area Law,” which prohibits casual photography within military zones. To respect the military, the organizers decided to outright ban participants from mainland China or Hong Kong and Macau.
Legislator Hsu Chih-chieh raised the issue with the Taiwanese military, stating that the Army Academy has long allowed the general public to register and obtain visitor passes on weekends, and has even hosted multiple university rugby championships. Yet, mainland Chinese and Hong Kong/Macau residents are “excluded.” Could there be more flexibility? If there are sensitive areas such as fuel depots or ammunition storage on campus, separate restricted zones could be designated.
The Taiwanese military responded that the Army Academy, Zhongzheng Preparatory School, and Infantry School are all military compounds. According to the “Regulations Governing Permission for Nationals of the Mainland Area to Enter Taiwan for Tourism,” the itineraries of mainland visitors should exclude military defense zones.
Hsu Chih-chieh said that from a cultural perspective, the “Whampoa Spirit” symbolized by the Army Academy holds strong appeal for mainland tourists. Allowing them to visit would help boost local tourism. However, due to current regulations, mainland visitors can usually only take photos at the school gate.
He added that military academies such as the United States Military Academy at West Point and other top-tier institutions worldwide are open to the public, and he hopes the military can show more flexibility.