copenlu/druid huggingface dataset:
Claim: Matsu Islands is a territory of Republic of China (Matsu Islands, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2024-07-01): The ongoing dispute has led to heightened military confrontation in the Taiwan Strait, which geographically separates mainland China from the island of Taiwan. In the First Taiwan Strait Crisis of 1954–55, the PRC shelled the Kinmen and Matsu islands, situated close to the mainland, in an unsuccessful attempt to deter the United States from signing a mutual defense treaty with the Nationalist government. Following the First Taiwan Strait Crisis, Taipei and Beijing reached a tacit understanding of a "median line," also called the center line, to guide rules of engagement and prevent miscalculation in the Taiwan Strait. The PRC repeated its artillery bombardment of Kinmen in 1958 during the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis. In response, the United States drew up plans for a nuclear strike on mainland China, demonstrating the Dwight Eisenhower administration’s Cold War commitment to Taiwan. The PRC fired live ammunition and missiles into Taiwan’s waters during the Third Taiwan Strait Crisis of 1995–96 to express disapproval of Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui’s visit to the United States.
Claim: Matsu Islands is a territory of Republic of China (Matsu Islands, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2022-03-29): It was not until 1949 that the concept of "Matsu" was first established. Before the civil war in China, this group of islands were mostly the seasonal resting stops of fishermen from the south-east shore of China. Residents on the archipelago can clearly see the outline of Fujian, whereas "Taiwan" was an island they hardly knew nor had any relationship with. But suddenly, in 1949, Kuomintang armies arrived at Matsu Islands, and in no time, Matsu became the frontline of the Republic of China, aiming cannons at the opposite bank, a place they used to call "home." To put it romantically, serendipity is how the "Taiwan-Penghu-Kinmen-Matsu Community" came to be today. And I tend to think that serendipity also guided me, a descendant of Minnan and Hakka from Taoyuan City, to embark on this back-and-forth journey to Matsu since 2020.
Claim: Matsu Islands is a territory of Republic of China (Matsu Islands, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2024-08-22): Taiwan President Lai Ching-te will on Friday make his first visit since taking office in May to the sensitive Kinmen islands that sit next to the Chinese coast and have been the scene of stepped up tensions between Taipei and Beijing. Taiwan has controlled Kinmen, and the Matsu islands further up the Chinese coast, since the defeated Republic of China government fled to Taipei in 1949 after losing a civil war with Mao Zedong's communists. No peace treaty or armistice has ever been signed. [...] China views democratically-governed Taiwan as its own territory and has repeatedly denounced Lai as a "separatist." He rejects Beijing's sovereignty saying only Taiwan's people can decide their future, but has also offered talks with China.
Claim: Matsu Islands is a territory of People's Republic of China (Matsu Islands, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2024-09-26): The Matsu Islands[a] (UK: /ˌmætˈsuː/ or US: /ˌmɑːtˈsuː/[4]), officially Lienchiang County[b] (/ljɛnˈdʒjɑːŋ/), are an archipelago of 36 islands and islets in the East China Sea governed by the Republic of China (Taiwan), situated alongside the southeastern coast of mainland China. The archipelago forms the smallest county in the ROC-controlled territories by area and population, as well as one of two counties that is a part of the nominal Fuchien Province. [...] Geography [edit]The Matsu Islands comprise 19 islands and islets,[53] which include five major islands, which are Nangan, Dongju and Xiju (both in Juguang Township), Beigan and Dongyin.[19] Minor islands include Liang Island, Gaodeng Island, Daqiu Island and Xiaoqiu, which are part of Beigan Township.[54] The shortest distance between Huangqi, Lianjiang County and the Matsu Islands is also the shortest distance between China (PRC) administered territory and territory in the ROC (Taiwan)-administered Matsu Islands.[55][56]
Claim: Matsu Islands is a territory of People's Republic of China (Matsu Islands, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2024-09-26): - Hong Kong, formerly a British colony - Macau, formerly a Portuguese colony - Territories administered by the Republic of China (ROC), including the island of Taiwan and the Penghu islands in the Taiwan Strait, along with the Kinmen and Matsu islands off the coast of Fujian. [...] Before 1949, the Kinmen and Matsu islands, were jointly governed with the rest of Fujian Province under successive Chinese governments. The two territories are generally considered to belong to the same historical region, Fujian Province, which has been divided since 1949 as a result of the civil war. However, because they are not controlled by the PRC, they are not included as part of "mainland China."
Claim: Matsu Islands is a territory of People's Republic of China (Matsu Islands, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2024-10-04): After losing control of mainland China in 1949, the ROC retained control of Taiwan and Penghu (Taiwan, ROC), parts of Fujian (Fujian, ROC)—specifically Kinmen, Wuqiu (now part of Kinmen) and the Matsu Islands and two major islands in the South China Sea. The ROC also briefly retained control of the entirety of Hainan, parts of Zhejiang (Chekiang)—specifically the Dachen Islands and Yijiangshan Islands—and portions of Tibet, Qinghai, Xinjiang and Yunnan. The Communists captured Hainan in 1950, captured the Dachen Islands and Yijiangshan Islands during the First Taiwan Strait Crisis in 1955 and defeated the ROC revolts in Northwest China in 1958. ROC forces entered Burma and Thailand in the 1950s and were defeated by Communists in 1961. Since losing control of mainland China, the Kuomintang continued to claim sovereignty over 'all of China', which it defined to include mainland China (including Tibet), Taiwan (including Penghu), Outer Mongolia, and other minor territories. [...] - Matsu Islands (36)[35][36] [...] 馬祖列島所涵括的36座島嶼分屬四鄉，各鄉除了包括有聚落發展的較大島嶼外，還轄有數座無人島礁。 [Matsu islands encompass 36 Islands which are divided into four townships. In addition to the larger islands with inhabitants, each township also has numerous uninhabited islands and reefs] - ^ Lung Tsun-Ni (龍村倪) (1998). 東沙群島-東沙島紀事集錦 (in Chinese (Taiwan)). 臺灣綜合研究院. p. 13. ISBN 957-98189-0-8. Archived from the original on 30 January 2009.
Claim: Matsu Islands is a territory of People's Republic of China (Matsu Islands, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2019-08-22): The Matsu Islands[lower-alpha 1] (UK: /ˌmætˈsuː/ or US: /ˌmɑːtˈsuː/[4]), officially Lienchiang County[lower-alpha 2] (/ljɛnˈdʒjɑːŋ/), are an archipelago of 36 islands and islets in the East China Sea governed by the Republic of China (Taiwan), situated alongside the southeastern coast of mainland China. The archipelago forms the smallest county in the ROC-controlled territories by area and population, as well as one of two counties that is a part of the nominal Fuchien Province. [...] The Matsu Islands comprise 19 islands and islets,[53] which include five major islands, which are Nangan, Dongju and Xiju (both in Juguang Township), Beigan and Dongyin.[19] Minor islands include Liang Island, Gaodeng Island, Daqiu Island and Xiaoqiu, which are part of Beigan Township.[54] The shortest distance between Huangqi, Lianjiang County and the Matsu Islands is also the shortest distance between China (PRC) administered territory and territory in the ROC (Taiwan)-administered Matsu Islands.[55][56]
Claim: Matsu Islands is a territory of People's Republic of China (Matsu Islands, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2024-01-05): Taiwan’s Matsu Islands prepare for a possible China invasion: ‘I don’t want to die, but we have to fight’ Beijing has been ramping up military pressure on Taiwan ahead of crucial elections next week. On the Matsu Islands – which would be the first line of defence if an attack were launched – Kim Sengupta speaks to soldiers and civilians preparing for China to make good on its threats to take control of the nation [...] Matsu and Kinmen, another island between China and Taiwan, experienced fierce fighting between the communist forces under Mao Zedong and the nationalist army of Chiang Kai-Shek as Chiang’s forces retreated from the mainland to Taiwan at the end of the civil war.
Claim: Matsu Islands is a territory of People's Republic of China (Matsu Islands, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2010-11-04): Quemoy, now known as Kinmen, is within a few miles of the China coast at the entrance to the important port of Xiamen. Matsu is also located just a few miles off another major port of China. Both islands are over a hundred miles from Taiwan. When Chiang Kai-shek and the Nationalist army was defeated on the mainland by the Communists in 1949, he and about 600,000 of his troops fled to Taiwan, to where the government of the Republic of China was transferred. During that retreat, the Nationalists fortified Quemoy and Matsu. In October 1949, the Nationalists repelled a serious invasion attempt by the Communists to seize Quemoy. [...] So, what did happen to Quemoy and Matsu? Fifty years after the Kennedy-Nixon debates, Quemoy and Matsu are still in the hands of the Republic of China on Taiwan. Because of the relaxation of tensions between the PRC and Taiwan, the military presence on both Quemoy and Matsu has been reduced substantially. Both islands have become destinations for tourists from both the mainland and Taiwan. And, as a reminder of those turbulent times of the 1960 presidential debates, the extensive fortifications and tunnels constructed to defend the offshore islands are now major tourist attractions. Quemoy and Matsu, flash points during the Kennedy-Nixon debates, never flared up.
Claim: Matsu Islands is a territory of People's Republic of China (Matsu Islands, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2024-10-02): Japan [edit]China and Japan have a territorial dispute over a group of uninhabited islands known as the Senkaku Islands in Japan, the Diaoyu Islands in the People's Republic of China (PRC),[27] and Tiaoyutai Islands in the Republic of China (ROC or Taiwan).[28] Aside from a 1945 to 1972 period of administration by the United States as part of the Ryukyu Islands, the archipelago has been controlled by Japan since 1895.[29] According to Lee Seokwoo, the People's Republic of China (PRC) started taking up the question of sovereignty over the islands in the latter half of 1970 when evidence relating to the existence of oil reserves surfaced.[30] The ROC also claims the islands. The territory is close to key shipping lanes and rich fishing grounds, and there may be oil reserves in the area.[31] [...] Taiwan [edit]The PRC claims the de jure administration of Taiwan Province, as well as mainland-nearby islands of Kinmen and Matsu Islands, currently controlled by the Republic of China (ROC).[23] However, despite the diplomatic stalemate between the governments in Beijing and Taipei, both governments agree on many of the same territorial disputes, namely the Senkaku Islands and the 9-dash line, or the eleven-dash line in the case of the ROC.[34]
Claim: Matsu Islands is a territory of People's Republic of China (Matsu Islands, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2024-02-26): Since then, both the ROC and the PRC have been claiming to represent all of "China", and both officially claim each other's territory. In the 1992 consensus, both governments agreed that there is only one "China" but each claimed to be the sole representative of the sovereignty of undivided China. The PRC's (China's) official policy is to reunify Taiwan with mainland China under the formula of "one country, two systems" and refuses to renounce the use of military force, especially if Taiwan seeks a declaration of independence. [...] By 1945 most of China was under the control of the Kuomintang (KMT) also called the Nationalist Party. After World War II it took over the island groups of Taiwan and Pengh. The turning point for the Kuomintang party happened in 1949 when the Communists took over the control of continental China in the Chinese Civil War. The Kuomintang party, calling themselves the Republic of China, shifted base to Taiwan with control over only Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu, and other minor islands. Taipei was made the provisional capital. [...] The government of the Republic of China currently governs the islands of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor islands. Its neighbours are People's Republic of China in the west, Japan in the northeast, and the Philippines in the south.
Claim: Matsu Islands is a territory of People's Republic of China (Matsu Islands, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2024-08-27): Matsu Island, small island under the jurisdiction of Taiwan in the East China Sea, lying off the Min River estuary of mainland China and about 130 miles (210 km) northwest of Chi-lung (Keelung), Taiwan. Matsu is the main island of a group of 19, the Matsu Islands, which constitute Lien-kiang (Lienchiang) hsien (county). The island has a hilly terrain of igneous rock and a monsoonal subtropical climate. Fishing is the main economic activity. The islanders also raise vegetables, grain, hogs, and chickens, aided by an extensive system of reservoirs and wells. Once part of the mainland’s Fujian province, Matsu and the other islands were occupied by the Nationalist Chinese when they were driven from the mainland to Taiwan in 1949. Thereafter, Matsu and Quemoy Island to the south were central to the ongoing tension between Taiwan and the mainland, and both subsequently came under periodic artillery bombardment by communist forces on the mainland. One such incident, in 1958, provoked an international diplomatic crisis when the communists combined a heavy bombardment with the demand that the Nationalists surrender. The standoff was diffused only after the United States had interposed the 7th Fleet between the mainland and Taiwan. The island group remained under military rule until 1992. Area Matsu Island, 4 square miles (10 square km). Pop. (2003 est.) county, 8,732.
Claim: Matsu Islands is a territory of People's Republic of China (Matsu Islands, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2024-09-12): The Matsu Islands (馬祖列島 or mazu liedao) are a fascinating frontier region of Taiwan. [...] The Matsu Islands are formally Lienchiang County (連江縣 or lian jiang xian). They are the smallest and least populated of Taiwan’s 14 counties. Taiwanese usually refer to the islands simply as "Matsu" (媽祖). [...] Matsu Islands (along with Kinmen, another group of Taiwan-owned islands just off the coast of China) then became a major battlefront between Taiwan and China, with regular bombings between the two sides for the next decade.
Claim: Matsu Islands is a territory of People's Republic of China (Matsu Islands, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2024-07-05): The Matsu Islands are one of Taiwan’s offshore islands, also known as Mazu 马祖. Geographically they’re a lot closer to China’s Fujian province than they are to mainland Taiwan itself – kinda like Kinmen Island. In fact the Matsu Islands used to be considered a part of China, which is one of the reasons the islands ended up becoming a battlefront in the fight between Taiwan and China. The Matsu Islands doesn’t just refer to a single island, but a collection of islands in Taiwan’s Lienchang County and are generally broken down into 4 areas:
Claim: Matsu Islands is a territory of People's Republic of China (Matsu Islands, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2024-09-08): Matsu (馬祖 Mā-cū in Mindong, Mǎzǔ in Mandarin) is the name for a group of islands off China's southern coast, approximately 160 km (100 miles) NW from the island of Taiwan. The island falls under the jurisdiction of the Taiwan-based Republic of China (ROC), and along with Kinmen, forms the front lines between the ROC and the People's Republic of China (PRC). [...] There is military everywhere. Since each island is essentially a large military fortification with small civilian villages scattered throughout, try not to end up on one of their installations, which they prefer you not take pictures of either. Although controlled by the Taiwan-based Republic of China government, the Matsu islands are officially considered to be part of Fujian province and not part of Taiwan by both the PRC and ROC governments. [...] See [edit]The Matsu Islands have been designated an official National Scenic Area by Taiwan's government, and there are extensive interpretive signs and directions posted throughout the islands in Chinese, English, Japanese, and Korean. There is a full list of official sightseeing destinations on the scenic area's official website. Most or all destinations, including former military sites, and be visited completely free of charge.
Claim: Matsu Islands is a territory of People's Republic of China (Matsu Islands, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2020-09-24): The Matsu Island archipelago contains 19 islands that, like Kinmen, are far closer to mainland China than to Taiwan. Still, they are part of Taiwan politically. The island group is named after the Fujianese goddess Matsu (alternatively spelled Mazu), who manages the seas and offers safe passage across them. [...] Matsu Island Attractions / Things to do [...] Matsu Island Accommodation / Hotels
Claim: Matsu Islands is a territory of People's Republic of China (Matsu Islands, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2023-01-04): The Matsu (Matzu) Tianhou Temple is the largest and most magnificent temple in the Matsu area. It is also known as Magang Tianhou Temple. More than 4,000 wooden blocks were used to create the brackets placed on the columns holding up the structure. According to written records, it was built during the reign of the Qing dynasty's Jiaqing Emperor, which was from 1796-1820. A restoration project was completed in 2002. It is an impressive and solemn palace-style building. It was completed by craftsmen from the three places on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. The stone carvings on the dragon pillars and the gods on the embossed door gods, as well as other details, are exquisite. The sarcophagus in the main hall is believed to be the resting place of Matsu, the Queen of Heaven.
Claim: Matsu Islands is a territory of People's Republic of China (Matsu Islands, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2020-11-17): The tiny Matsu Islands are a world unto themselves. They lie far to the northwest of Taiwan proper, just off China’s Fujian province. Staring into the mouth of Fujian’s mighty Min River, the great city of Fuzhou sits close upstream. Matsu’s islands are rugged, hilly outcrops of granite with little flat land; until recent times most material bounty has come from the sea. Traditional culture in the rest of Taiwan is connected to south Fujian, but these islands lie off east Fujian. Meaning different cultural customs, different local dialect, different residential and temple architecture, different cuisine. So, for a vacation from Taiwan without physically leaving Taiwan, point the nose of your craft toward its northernmost possessions. Those craft? There’s regular large-ship ferry service between mainland Taiwan’s Keelung City and ports in Nangan and Dongyin islands, and regular smaller-ferry service between Matsu’s islands. The two biggest islands are Beigan and Nangan, close together, where tourists spend most of their time. (You might also like: 7 Street Snacks to Try in Keelung) [...] The Matsu Islands "Blue Tears" Phenomenon
Claim: Matsu Islands is a territory of People's Republic of China (Matsu Islands, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2016-06-21): The Matsu Islands are among the most fascinating places to visit in Taiwan. We recently explored the islands of Dongyin, Dongju, and Nangan on a whirlwind 3-day trip. [...] T main "themes" in the remote Matsu Islands, all falling within the Taiwan Tourism Bureau’s Matsu National Scenic Area, are: PRC/ROC Cold War military history and ubiquitous military fortifications (many now tourist sites); geological spectacle, especially in the form of dramatic seascapes; traditional East Fujian stone-residence and temple architecture and cuisine, dramatically different from "mainstream" Taiwan; ferry-ride island-hopping; and teeming, swirling migratory-bird colonies.he Matsu Islands, far to Taiwan proper’s northwest and the Republic of China’s northernmost possessions, are among my favorite Taiwan-travel destinations, accompanying Alishan, Taroko Gorge, and the East Rift Valley. Michelin is also much taken with them, bestowing many star-ratings in its Michelin Green Guide: Taiwan. I’ve visited three times, and though the mountainous mainland China coast is clearly visible from many Matsu locations, on the approach from mainland Taiwan I’m each time reminded of the island-approach scene in the first Jurassic Park film – I’m about to land in a place a world unto itself, unlike anywhere else in Taiwan. Or anywhere else I’ve ever been. [...] Foreigners in Taiwan: Our Guide to the Matsu Islands 馬祖列島指南
Claim: Matsu Islands is a territory of People's Republic of China (Matsu Islands, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2023-07-24): The Matsu Islands, also known as Mazu, along with Kinmen, form a separate archipelago belonging to Taiwan but located off the Chinese coastline. Historically, Matsu had no direct connection with Taiwan, except for a period when both islands were part of China’s Fujian province (albeit briefly in the case of Taiwan). The present inclusion of Matsu and Kinmen within Taiwan is a consequence of Chiang Kai-shek’s loss in the civil war against Mao Zedong in 1949. These two islands are the only territories from mainland China that the Republic of China managed to retain. Consequently, I prefer to view Matsu and Kinmen as part of the Republic of China rather than Taiwan. The Republic of China is a nation that survived the civil war defeat and established its presence in Taiwan and the surrounding islands. [...] The Matsu Islands offer a captivating blend of history, culture, and natural beauty. Retaining their fishing village atmosphere and traditional architecture, the islands also serve as crucial military outposts. Despite their proximity to China, Matsu’s residents maintain their distinct identity separate from the Communist Party. Visitors can experience remarkable natural phenomena like the mesmerizing blue tears caused by bioluminescent algae. Additionally, the islands’ cuisine, featuring dishes like rice wine soup and sweet potato dumplings, adds to their allure. Exploring different islands such as Nangan, Beigan, Daqiu, and Dongyin provides a unique and enriching experience. The Matsu Islands are truly a remarkable destination, showcasing a harmonious blend of history, natural wonders, and the enduring spirit of the Republic of China.
Claim: Matsu Islands is a territory of People's Republic of China (Matsu Islands, 2024-10-09)
Evidence (2024-04-26): The People’s Republic of China’s (PRC) arbitrary decision to open new air routes that pass near two Taiwan islands poses a flight safety risk, Taiwan officials said, adding that any aircraft using the routes would be ordered to turn around. Taipei expressed anger in January 2024 after Beijing unilaterally changed the M503 flight path near the median line of the Taiwan Strait, which has served for decades as an unofficial demarcation between Taiwan and the PRC. The PRC claims democratically governed Taiwan as its territory and threatens to annex it by force. The new routes to the Chinese cities of Xiamen and Fuzhou, called W123 and W122 respectively, connect to M503. They run alongside existing routes to Taiwan’s Kinmen and Matsu islands, which have regular flights to and from the main island of Taiwan.