Taking Ferry from Xiamen, China to Kinmen, Taiwan

Xiamen Airport, July 1, 2014

You could not get from mainland China to Taiwan directly until 2008.  Going through Hong Kong as a stepping stone was a common practice.  The relationship between mainland China and Taiwan has improved so much in recent years that travel between Xiamen and Kinmen becomes possible.  The immigration formalities and procedures are streamlined enough that even foreign passport holders can travel between China and Taiwan through this interesting and often cheaper route.


Nowadays a ferry ride would take only 30 minutes from Xiamen to Kinmen.  There are regular domestic commercial air flights between Kinmen and major cities in Taiwan.  Domestic flights are considerably less expensive than cross-strait flights between Taiwan and mainland China.

Wutong Terminal from the ferry, July 3, 2014

After my business travel to Beijing this time, I flew from Beijing to Xiamen and took the ferry from the Wutong terminal to Kinmen.  The travel agent booked the ticket for me for 190 RMB (10 RMB service charge by the agent).  This is about 30 US dollars. There is a short taxi ride from the Xiamen airport to the Wutong terminal.  The ferry runs roughly hourly during the day.  The web link above is unfortunately only in Chinese.

Tulou Cluster, July 3, 2014

I took a side trip for two days to visit Tulou, west of Xiamen, which is about 3-hour driving distance.  You can see my future Tulou blog for that stint.

Wutong Ferry Terminal, July 3, 2014

The Wutong ferry terminal is fairly new and the immigration procedure is very streamlined and fast.  These days, new facilities like this all look alike with shiny floors, comfortable chairs and good lighting.

Ferry from Xiamen to Kinmen, July 3, 2014

On the day I traveled (July 3, 2014), the ferry was pretty empty, as you can see from the picture to the left.

Kinmen's Ferry Terminal, July 3, 2014

On the Kinmen side, the ferry terminal is also spiffy and fairly new.  The immigration formalities were quick and straightforward.  I have never been in Kinmen before, and this historical island is a place I always wanted to visit in person.

Kinmen Island map at the ferry terminal July 3, 2014

Kinmen and Matsu islands were the strongholds for Taiwan, which are only miles away from mainland China, during the intense confrontations between the Communist Chinese government and the KMT-led Taiwanese government.

One of the M5A1 Tanks that saved Kinmen in 1949

It is interesting to visit the Guningtou war museum that depicted the invasion that the Communist Chinese almost won in 1949 after the People's Republic of China was founded. The man-made underground tunnels that were built to move supplies through heavy bombardment also provide excellent perspectives on that period of time.
 

Area wise, Kinmen is only slightly smaller than urban Xiamen, which was also an island before the connecting bridges and tunnels were built in the last few decades.  Population wise, there is a huge difference.  Kinmen has about 100 thousand residents normally, while urban Xiamen is home for 2 million people.

Kinmen Airport, July 5, 2014

Shuttle to board plane from Kinmen to Tainan, July 5, 2014

My flight from Kinmen to Tainan took only 50 minutes at 20,000 feet.  Tainan was the historical capital of Taiwan before the Qing dynasty decided to modernize Taiwan.  My younger sister's family is in Tainan, which is an excellent excuse to visit.

The high speed rail (HSR) ride is less than 2 hours from Tainan to Taipei and covers about 250 kilometers.  Since early 2014, United Airlines has offered non-stop flights between Taipei and San Francisco.

Down with the Chinese Capitalism!

[Really no regular thermometers?]

My wife had the flu and a fever, and I could not find our good old-fashioned thermometer after our recent move. The drugstore told me that fact with a straight face, but the clerk also told me that the much more expensive electronic ones are available. Was the clerk really telling the truth? Or was this yet another example of institutionalized price gouging? For months now, it has been difficult to find affordable face masks for the H1N1 epidemic. Only the so-called "advanced" models are available, but they are expensive.

It is not really possible to legislate business ethics and morality. Those qualities are a matter of one's free will. Moral and ethical behavior is social and cultural, and is based on value systems. Many people can be law-binding citizens but can be very crooked any way you look at them.

[Bargain for a dead body]
I saw this picture in my daily dose of mobile phone news. I was outraged, not simply because the picture depicted bargaining for a price to the dead body the boat crew was able to retrieve, but also because of
the loss of human decency and dignity. I felt deep pain and outrage. What if I were this corpse's parent and what would I do if my son's body were waiting to be traded. Was it worth 12000 RMB?

You can also read the story about 3 college students who perished while saving two children in the Hubei province. You can read the CCTV's version. Society has become so selfish, and thus we have created heroes before our own eyes. What's wrong with this society? Where is the beloved government and leadership?



[China is a haven for Capitalism]
This country is sick. The last 30 years of economical openness and reform without corresponding political openness and reforms has turned the people into money-worshipers and government into investment bankers. Can China be capitalism's last haven? What happened to government and leadership? What are they focusing on? On maintaining the 8 percent year-to-year growth in GDP ?

The government's job seems to paint a glorious picture of an economical boom and military advancement. Have state-run branches invested in the Blackstone mutual fund again? Why is the government making such investments itself? Is it trying to create regulations so that there is a level playing field that benefits everybody, and now is it thinking how to make the pot of gold grow bigger? The government has screwed up its priorities big-time.
Maintaining a strong military power to defend the motherland while the poor and needy are crying out loud for justice and help? We are in the 21st century now. Does the government really see any serious threats from other countries and regions?

[Refocusing on the social fabric and value systems]
The government should refocus its energy and priorities to address the needs of migrants, the aging, minorities, and the medically deprived. Domestic justice and the fabric of society are in serious need of being repaired. A harmonious society is not just a noble goal or slogan. If the moral, ethical and spiritual emphasis is not there, society will continue to become corrupt and eventually collapse. The government will go with it.

On this note, I was by chance introduced by my good friend CH to the film director Jia Zhangke. Anyone who is interested and has the stomach to see the raw aspects of modern-day Chinese society should watch his films. Maybe in time he'll be the Charles Dickens of China, depicting the country as it goes through the painful process of modernization.