Development of Lienchiang County
The Fujian Provincial Government’s administration in Matsu was divided into two phases, before and after the implementation of military administration from 1956 to 1992.
Before the implementation of the military administration, the Matsu region was not as well developed as Kinmen, the provincial seat of the government. For example, land reform was not implemented in Matsu, and the Matsu Junior High School, a secondary education institution, was established later than the Kinmen Junior High School, and was not established until the implementation of military administration. Despite this, the Fujian Provincial Government still made a number of achievements in Matsu, especially in the area of industry.
Since Matsu is surrounded by the sea, with barren land and an impoverished population, so during the time of the Northeast Min Administrative Office, efforts were made to develop the fishing industry in Matsu based on the local conditions. During the brief period of separation of military and civil administration in Fujian Province, the Northeast Min Administrative Office was abolished and replaced with the Office of the Administrative Inspector of the First District of Fujian Province. When the newly appointed commissioner and magistrate of Lienchiang County, Yu Yu-ren came into office, he announced that he would strengthen economic development to meet the needs of the military, enhance military-political cooperation, expand and improve the existing fishing industry, provide assistance to fishermen, and use surplus manpower to engage in agricultural and secondary production in order to improve people’s livelihood and strengthen the war effort.
Another important achievement of Yu Yu-ren’s administration in Matsu was the creation of a distillery that was as famous as that of Kinmen. Since Yu had experience in operating distilleries and controlling the sale of illegal alcohol in Kinmen, he applied this experience in Matsu. First, he acquired the breweries and equipment of the private distilleries for public ownership, then hired the craftsmen of the private distilleries as technicians, and actively organized the establishment of a publicly-owned distillery. However, Yu did not manage to see the establishment of the distillery before he left his post. Soon after, Matsu began to implement military administration, and a publicly-owned distillery was established by the Matsu Military Administrative Committee and named the “Chung Hsing Distillery”, which became the predecessor of today’s Matsu Distillery.
In 1992, military administration ceased in Matsu and the implementation of local self-governance began. Prior to that, Matsu had only participated in the first election for additional central government representatives. But because the quota was only for one person, Matsu, which had a far smaller population than Kinmen, was never able to elect a central government representative. In addition, at the county level, the Lienchiang County Advisory Council had been set up, but the election was in proportion to the population of each township, and the post of chairman of the council was also concurrently held by the county magistrate. As such, the representatives only have the right to make suggestions but not the right to review the budget or take on a supervisory role, making it impossible to truly reflect public opinion. With the efforts of the local people, the election of County Advisory Council representatives was finally opened in 1990. The representatives were given the right to review budgets, supervise county officials, and enact laws and regulations. This hard-earned electoral experience also laid the groundwork for the upcoming implementation of local self-governance.
After the end of the military administration, Matsu held the first Lienchiang County Magistrate election in 1993, and Tsao Chang-shun was the first elected county magistrate. The Lienchiang County Advisory Council was transformed into the Lienchiang County Council after the end of the of the military administration, while the County Advisory Council representatives were appointed by the Fujian Provincial Government as members of the County Council. In 1994, in accordance with the “Outline for the Program for the Implementation of Local Self-Governance in Lienchiang County, Kinmen County, Fujian Province” and the “Rules and Regulations for the Organization of the County Council of Lienchiang County, Kinmen County, Fujian Province”, Lienchiang County was divided into four constituencies for the first election of County Council members held in Lienchiang County. With the election of nine County Council members, the Matsu region reached a new milestone in its local self-governance efforts.
Like Kinmen, there was also a call for the establishment of higher education institutions in Matsu, after the termination of the military administration. At that time, the highest-level education institution in the Matsu region was the National Matsu Senior High School. In 2000, Matsu Senior High School was transformed into a “comprehensive high school” in order to foster talents from all walks of life. It set up six programs of study in nature, social studies, commercial services, information applications, fisheries, and aquaculture, and opened up admissions to students from Taiwan. However, Matsu did not enjoy the same success as Kinmen in the battle for a tertiary education institution, and Matsu students had to leave their hometowns to pursue their studies in Taiwan. In 2019, through the joint efforts of local people and the government, the National Taiwan Ocean University established the Matsu campus in Banli, Beigan Township, enrolling students in three departments, including the “Bachelor Degree Program in Marine Biotechnology”, the “Bachelor Degree Program in Ocean Engineering and Technology”, and the “Bachelor Degree Program in Ocean Business Management”. Students attend classes at the Matsu campus for their second year of studies, while the other three years of classes take place at the main campus in Keelung.
During the era of military tension between the two sides of the Taiwan Strait, like Kinmen, Matsu was at the forefront of anti-communist efforts. Their proximity to mainland China made Matsu and Kinmen the best transit points for cross-strait transportation. In 2000, the Legislative Yuan passed the “Offshore Islands Development Act” on the third reading, which introduced trial transportation links between Matsu, Kinmen, and China. For Matsu, the specific details of the “Three Links” included the opening of sea transportation for passengers and cargo between Matsu and Fujian; the opening of direct routes for Matsu fishing fleets to China; the opening of direct trade between Matsu and China; the gradual planning of “border trade” and even “border economic cooperation” between Matsu and Fujian, China; the opening of direct bi-directional travel between the people of Matsu and China; the direct opening for Chinese people to enter Matsu for business, academic activities, and tourism travel; opening up of Matsu financial institutions to handle remittance services; planning for Matsu financial institutions to undertake Renminbi trading; and giving priority to opening up various postal services between Matsu and mainland China.
The implementation of the “Three Links” policy has had a positive impact on Matsu’s industries and tourism. However, Matsu is farther away from Taiwan than Kinmen is from Taiwan, and travel between the islands in the region is quite inconvenient. To improve transportation between Taiwan and Matsu, as well as transportation between the islands of Matsu, the Fujian Provincial Government actively sought funding subsidies from the central government. Specific results include assistance for the purchase of a 320-ton passenger and cargo vessel, named the “Tunghai Pearl”, to sail the Juguang route, and assistance for the construction of a large passenger and cargo vessel between Matsu and Keelung, which was fully subsidized and named the “Taima Star”. In the past, air transportation between Taiwan and Matsu relied mainly on the Beigan Airport. To share the passenger traffic of Beigan Airport, subsidies were received to expand a small airport in Nangan, which was originally a military air drop airport, into a civilian airport, and Nangan Airport was officially opened in 2003.
The gradual improvement in transportation conditions has reduced the chance of Matsu becoming an isolated island due to climate factors. In the past, the large military garrison stationed there was once an important economic pillar in Matsu. After the military gradually withdrew from Matsu, it is expected that tourists and business visitors will come to Matsu to fill the economic void created by the military’s withdrawal and restore Matsu to its former glory.
In July 1953, the Secretary-General of the Presidential Office notified the Executive Yuan to abolish the Matsu Administrative Office, reinstate the county governments of Lienchiang and Changle, and establish the Northeast Min Administrative Office. Source: National Archives Administration, National Development Council
The exterior of Matsu Broadcasting Station, which began broadcasting on June 14, 1959. Source: National Archives Administration, National Development Council
Matsu Radio Station. Source: Chronicle of the Fujian Provincial Government of the Republic of China
December 1970, Provisional Organizational Regulations of the Matsu Daily News Agency, Matsu Military Administrative Committee, during the period of military administration. Source: National Archives Administration, National Development Council
December 1971, Organizational Regulations of the Matsu Distillery, Matsu Military Administrative Committee, during the period of military administration. Source: National Archives Administration, National Development Council
February 1972, the Executive Yuan approves the Organizational Regulations of the Lienchiang County Government during the period of military administration. Source: National Archives Administration, National Development Council
February 1972, the Executive Yuan approves the Organizational Regulations of the Lienchiang County Government during the period of military administration. Source: National Archives Administration, National Development Council
April 1975, Organizational Regulations of the Civil Self-Defense Forces of Lienchiang County during the period of military administration. Source: National Archives Administration, National Development Council
August 1977, Organizational Regulations of the Lienchiang County Agricultural Research and Extension Station during the period of military administration. Source: National Archives Administration, National Development Council
August 1977, Organizational Regulations of the Lienchiang County Agricultural Research and Extension Station during the period of military administration. Source: National Archives Administration, National Development Council
In March 1991, Lienchiang County Advisory Council delegates met with President Lee Teng-hui to present the case for lifting martial law in Lienchiang County and for the election of the county magistrate. Source: National Archives Administration, National Development Council
In March 1991, Lienchiang County Advisory Council delegates met with President Lee Teng-hui to present the case for lifting martial law in Lienchiang County and for the election of the county magistrate. Source: National Archives Administration, National Development Council
In April 1991, the Matsu Defense Command issued the martial law declaration. Source: Executive Yuan
In April 1991, the Matsu Defense Command issued the martial law declaration. Source: Executive Yuan
Lienchiang County Council. Source: <A Century of Fujian Kinmen and Matsu>
Lienchiang County Council. Source: <A Century of Fujian Kinmen and Matsu>
Lienchiang County Government Building. Source: Chronicle of the Fujian Provincial Government of the Republic of China
December 1991, the bulletin of the Lienchiang County representative election of the Second National Assembly. Source: Central Election Commission
December 1991, the bulletin of the Lienchiang County Second Legislative Yuan election. Source: Central Election Commission
In November 1992, the Fujian Provincial Government appointed Tsao Chang-shun as the magistrate of Lienchiang County. Source: Executive Yuan
In November 1992, the Fujian Provincial Government appointed Tsao Chang-shun as the magistrate of Lienchiang County. Source: Executive Yuan
November 1993, the bulletin of the first county magistrate election of Lienchiang County, Fujian Province. Source: Central Election Commission
November 1997, Executive Yuan Premier Vincent C. Siew (standing in the middle, second from left is Wu Chin-tzan, Governor of Fujian Provincial Government) attended the opening ceremony of the Matsu Desalination Plant. Source: Ministry of foreign Affairs
On July 30, 2003, President Chen Shui-bian visited the Lienchiang County Government (3rd from left is Yen Chung-cheng, the Governor of the Fujian Provincial Government) Source: Academia Historica
December 2005, the bulletin of the fourth Lienchiang County Magistrate and Council Member election, and the eighth Township Mayor election. Source: Central Election Commission
December 2005, the bulletin of the fourth Lienchiang County Magistrate and Council Member election, and the eighth Township Mayor election. Source: Central Election Commission
Sample ballot from the 2014 Lienchiang County magistrate election. Source: Central Election Commission
The entrance to the Matsu Daily News Agency in Ren’ai Village, Nangan Township, Lienchiang County. Source: Chronicle of the Fujian Provincial Government of the Republic of China
On April 18, 2007, the Fujian Provincial Government held the 135th Committee Meeting in Matsu. Source: Fujian Provincial Government <Chronicles of the Fujian Provincial Government>, Volume 10
Fujian Provincial Governor Woody Duh inspecting the infrastructure construction in Juguang Township in 2005. Source: Fujian Provincial Government <Chronicles of the Fujian Provincial Government>, Volume 18
On August 13, 2016, Executive Yuan Premier Lin Chuan visited Tunnel 88 in Matsu (3rd from left is Governor Chang Ching-sen, Fujian Provincial Government) Source: Executive Yuan
National Matsu Senior High School. Source: Lienchiang County Government
Beigan Airport runway. Source: Chronicle of the Fujian Provincial Government of the Republic of China
Ribbon-cutting ceremony for the inaugural flight between Taipei-Matsu Nangan. Source: Chronicle of the Fujian Provincial Government of the Republic of China