Erdan Island (Erhtan Island[3][4]) (Chinese: 二膽島[5][6][7][8]; pinyin: Èrdǎn Dǎo, also 二擔島[3][9][10]) is an island in Lieyu Township, Kinmen County (Quemoy), Taiwan.[10][11] The island has been called Seao-tan.[12][13] Erdan Island is 12 km (7.5 mi) from Greater Kinmen Island and 4 km (2.5 mi) from Xiamen (Amoy) Island.[14]

Erdan Island
Native name:
二膽島
View of Dadan Island and Erdan Island
Erdan Island in Kinmen County
Erdan Island is located in Taiwan
Erdan Island
Erdan Island
Taiwan
Geography
LocationLieyu Township, Kinmen County (Quemoy), Fujian, Republic of China (Taiwan)
Coordinates24°22′40.9″N 118°09′40.7″E / 24.378028°N 118.161306°E / 24.378028; 118.161306
Area0.2800 km2 (0.1081 sq mi)[1][2]

History

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Fortress wall bearing slogan "Three Principles of the People Unite China" built by Gen. Zhao in Aug. 1986, dismissed after 1987 Lieyu Massacre.
External image
  Declassified nuclear strike plan portraits significance of Erdan's critical position in history of Cold War

On February 21, 1942, more than fifty anti-Japanese dissidents were taken to the island, tortured and killed in a mass execution.[15]: 18–19 

Chinese Nationalist spokesmen reported that Chinese Communists shelled Dadan and Erdan between June 26–28, 1957. At that time, Chinese Nationalist strength on the islands was around 1,100 men.[16]

On September 6, 2011, President Ma Ying-jeou visited with the troops stationed on Erdan Island.[5][6]

In November 2013, the island was designated as battlefield culture landscape by the Cultural Affairs Bureau of Kinmen County Government.[17] The island was handed over from Kinmen Defense Command of the Republic of China Armed Forces to the county government on 1 July 2014.[18]

On August 16, 2022, two Taiwan soldiers on Erdan threw stones at a Chinese drone that got near their guard post.[19] On August 30, 2022, Taiwan soldiers on Erdan fired at a Chinese drone.[20]

On March 9, 2023, Chen Chia-hsun (陳嘉壎), a Taiwan soldier on Erdan, was missing at roll call. He allegedly deserted to China.[21][22]

Geography

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The island covers an area of 0.28 km2 (0.11 sq mi).[2] Erdan Island's Mt. Jiaoshi (Mt. Jiaoshih; 礁石山) reaches 55 m (180 ft) above sea level.[11]

Dadan Island is 800 m (2,600 ft) from Erdan Island at the closest point.[15]: 24 

The islands of Wu Yu and Qing Yu in Gangwei, Longhai City, Zhangzhou, Fujian, China are located to the south of Erdan Island.[9][23]

Tourist attractions

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ 行政面積. 金門縣政府民政處 Civil Affairs Department, Kinmen County Government (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 29 January 2019. Retrieved 9 August 2019. 外圍 島嶼 面積單位: (平方公里){...} 二膽 0.2800
  2. ^ a b "ROC front line islands gear up for tourism". Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the U. S. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
  3. ^ a b "金門地區離島通航航道公告圖" (PDF). Coast Guard Administration (Taiwan) (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 25 August 2019. 二擔島 Erhtan Island
  4. ^ Wendell Minnick (19 March 2019). "How to Save Taiwan from Itself". The National Interest. Retrieved 26 August 2019. Not to crow, but I have been on Dongyin, Erhtan and Tatan islands; the U.S. signal intelligence antenna farm at Pingtun Li; and inside the underground airbase in Chiashan Mountain in Hualien.
  5. ^ a b 總統前往金門慰勉戍守國軍弟兄. 中華民國總統府 Office of the President Republic of China (Taiwan) (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 6 September 2011. Retrieved 11 October 2019. 中華民國100年09月06日 中秋節將屆,馬英九總統上午特地前往金門視導陸軍二膽守備隊
  6. ^ a b "總統前往金門慰勉戍守國軍弟兄(4-1)". 中華民國總統府 Office of the President Republic of China (Taiwan) (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 11 October 2019. 二膽島
  7. ^ 二膽島 (Non-Roman Script - NS) at GEOnet Names Server, United States National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency
  8. ^ 臺灣歷史地圖 增訂版. [Taiwan Historical Maps, Expanded and Revised Edition] (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Taipei: National Museum of Taiwan History. February 2018. pp. 154, 158. ISBN 978-986-05-5274-4. 二擔島{...}二膽島(1951年改名)
  9. ^ a b 臺灣歷史地圖 增訂版. [Taiwan Historical Maps, Expanded and Revised Edition] (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Taipei: National Museum of Taiwan History. February 2018. pp. 39, 154, 158. ISBN 978-986-05-5274-4. 二擔島{...}二膽島(1951年改名){...}浯嶼
  10. ^ a b 金門縣土地段名代碼表 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Department of Land Administration. 5 September 2018. Retrieved 10 August 2019. 地政事務所名稱(代碼) 金門(WA) 鄉鎮市區名稱(代碼) 烈嶼鄉(05){...}段 小段 代碼 備註{...}二擔 0252 更正
  11. ^ a b 金門縣行政區域圖 [Kinmen County] (Map) (in Chinese (Taiwan) and English). Ministry of the Interior, Kinmen County Government. September 2007. ISBN 978-986010742-5.
  12. ^ Charles J. Bullock (1884). The China Sea Directory. Vol. 3 (2 ed.). London: Hydorgraphic Office, Admiralty. p. 197 – via Internet Archive.
  13. ^ "Causeway Joint Staff Study". United States Pacific Fleet and Pacific Ocean Areas. 1947. p. 56 – via Internet Archive. SEAO TAN 55 "{acres}
  14. ^ 二膽島營區工程意外 工人遭怪手壓死. 金門縣政府全球資訊網 Kinmen County Government (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 30 April 2018. Retrieved 11 October 2019. 二膽島面積僅0.28平方公里,距離大膽島約800公尺、距離金門本島約12公里、距離廈門約4公里,島上只有駐軍,沒有一般居民。
  15. ^ a b Lin Ma-Teng 林馬騰 (July 2009). 秘島:大二膽的秘境秘史 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 林馬騰文史工作室. ISBN 978-957-41-6438-7.
  16. ^ "CURRENT INTELLIGENCE BULLETIN". CIA. 29 June 1957. p. 3 – via Internet Archive.
  17. ^ a b "Governor Arrives in Kinmen for Inspection, Magistrate Hopes for Assistance with Local Development". Web.kinmen.gov.tw. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
  18. ^ "Premier Jiang Yi-huah Witnessed Kinmen County Government Take Control Over Dadan and Erdan Islands". Web.kinmen.gov.tw. Archived from the original on 6 March 2016. Retrieved 5 October 2017.
  19. ^ Blanchard, Ben; Yimou Lee (August 24, 2022). Gerry Doyle (ed.). "Taiwan to deploy drone defence systems after rock-throwing video emerges". Reuters. Archived from the original on 25 August 2022.
  20. ^ Blanchard, Ben; Roger Tung; Yimou Lee (August 30, 2022). Tomasz Janowski; Angus MacSwan (eds.). "Taiwan shoots at Chinese drone after president warns of 'strong countermeasures'". Reuters. Archived from the original on 31 August 2022.
  21. ^ Cheung, Eric; Nectar Gan (March 13, 2023). "Taiwan says soldier who went missing has been found in China". CNN. Archived from the original on 13 March 2023.
  22. ^ Strong, Matthew (March 17, 2023). "Taiwan will ask for extradition of deserter who swam to China". Taiwan News. Archived from the original on 23 March 2023.
  23. ^ 林馬騰 (30 July 2010). 大膽島風雲. Kinmen Daily News (in Chinese (Taiwan)). Retrieved 6 March 2020. 大二膽島為國軍據守,但在九龍江口的重要島嶼,還有在大膽島南方的浯嶼和西南方的青嶼﹙又稱下青嶼﹚,均落入共軍之手,