Zheng Liewen visits Kinmen to mourn 823 battle, urges KMT return by 2028.

On the 68th anniversary of the August 23 Artillery Bombardment, Kinmen Island was enveloped in a solemn atmosphere tinged with strong political mobilization. Kuomintang (KMT) Chairperson Cheng Li-wen personally traveled to the front-line island of Kinmen to attend a commemorative event hosted by the KMT's Kinmen County Branch, joining local party and government officials and veterans in honoring the pivotal battle that laid the cornerstone for peace in the Taiwan Strait. In her address, Cheng paid her highest respects to the soldiers and veterans who fought in the battle, as well as to the residents of Kinmen. She also used the occasion to rally the entire party and its supporters, expressing hope that the KMT would achieve comprehensive victories in upcoming elections and lay the groundwork for returning to power in two years. She emphasized her hope that by the 70th anniversary of the August 23 battle in 2028, a KMT President of the Republic of China would personally visit Kinmen to preside over the commemorative ceremony, thereby writing a new political chapter for this history.

Looking back at the August 23 Artillery Bombardment of 1958, also known as the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis, it was the largest and most far-reaching military engagement between the Republic of China Armed Forces and the People's Liberation Army. At the time, the Chinese Communist Party rained hundreds of thousands of artillery shells on the Kinmen island group within a span of just a few days in an attempt to crush the military defense line in one fell swoop. However, through the dedication of the national armed forces and the unyielding solidarity of the soldiers and civilians in Kinmen, they forcefully withstood the intense artillery assault. This not only successfully defended Kinmen but also thoroughly shattered the other side's ambition to alter the status quo in the Taiwan Strait. This battle holds an irreplaceable historical position in Taiwan's modern history and national defense security; it was not only a critical turning point that maintained decades of cross-strait separation, but it also became a vital spiritual symbol in Taiwan's collective memory of "sharing weal and woe to defend the homeland."

For a long time, commemorative events for the August 23 battle have carried high political and symbolic significance in Taiwan's political arena. Politicians across the pan-blue and pan-green spectrum consistently travel to Kinmen to pay their respects on August 23. This is not only a sign of respect for history, but also an essential ritual for signaling positions to military personnel, public servants, and deep-blue voters. Cheng's decision to personally venture to Kinmen on this 68th anniversary—and to set her sights further by directly proclaiming the slogan, "Hoping a KMT president will travel to Kinmen for the 70th anniversary of August 23"—carries clearly defined political and strategic considerations. This acts as a rallying cry to the party's grassroots and supporters, aiming to boost internal morale through the consolidation of historical sentiment, while also demonstrating to the outside world the KMT's strong ambition and clear timetable for returning to central government power.

In the context of the current domestic political landscape, following multiple electoral setbacks in recent years, the KMT's leadership and chairperson have continuously faced core challenges regarding how to internally reintegrate forces, rediscover core discourse, and secure the approval of independent voters and younger generations. Cheng's remarks in Kinmen attempted to deeply connect the KMT's historical assets with Taiwan's current national security and cross-strait relations. By emphasizing the dual meanings of "resisting communism to protect Taiwan" and "safeguarding peace" represented by the August 23 battle, the KMT sought to shake off external stereotypes regarding its cross-strait policies, regain the discourse on national security issues, and prove to voters that the party possesses the capability to handle the complex and sensitive cross-strait situation.

Furthermore, Kinmen has long played a special bridging and buffering role in cross-strait relations. From its early days as a military frontline to its current status as a hub for the "Three Mini Links" and economic and trade exchanges, Kinmen's destiny has always been closely tied to the trajectory of cross-strait relations. Cheng's articulation of the vision for a regime change in Kinmen also carried implications of conveying specific political signals to the other side and the international community. Amid an international environment of escalating US-China confrontation and a still-severe situation in the Taiwan Strait, the KMT frequently uses Kinmen as a historical stage to make its voice heard, emphasizing peace and the importance of historical memory—undoubtedly an effort to highlight its positioning as a stabilizing force across the strait. However, whether this political declaration can truly translate into actual voter support and bear fruit in the presidential election two years from now will still depend on the KMT's future performance in policy discourse, talent integration, and its ability to navigate the ever-changing domestic and international political landscape.

Overall, the political expectations put forward by Cheng in Kinmen on the 68th anniversary of the August 23 battle served as both a confidence booster aimed at the party's grassroots and a forward-looking political preview. These remarks not only reawakened Taiwanese society's shared memories of those hardship-filled years, but once again pushed Kinmen to the core of Taiwan's political weather vane. As Taiwan's political map continues to evolve and the next general election draws closer, the interpretation of historical anniversaries and the resulting political maneuvering by various political parties are bound to intensify. Whether the KMT can achieve its wish and return to Kinmen as the ruling party during the 70th-anniversary commemoration in two years will serve as a crucial barometer for observing the development of Taiwan's political situation.