Tsai commemorates 62nd anniversary of Kinmen attack

Taiwan's President and a delegation from the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT) on Sunday paid tribute to soldiers who fell in a deadly bombing by China on Kinmen island in August 1958.

Tsai Ing-wen did not give a speech this year as Taiwan's presidents traditionally do as part of the commemoration ceremony.

This year also marks the first appearance of a director of the AIT, the de facto American embassy in Taiwan, at the annual ceremony to commeorate what is known as the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis.

Brent Christensen headed up an 8-person delegation.

Tsai's first term starting in 2016 marked the year when Taiwan-U.S. relations started to rapidly improve.

All attendees observed a one-minute silence near the end of the ceremony, and wore masks in accordance with rules to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Military personnel stood at the grave of deceased soldiers and also paid tribute with incense sticks and sunflowers.

The Second Taiwan Strait Crisis began on Aug. 23 1958, with bombing from China's People's Liberation Army.

The intensity of the conflicts started to die down on Oct. 5 the same year but bombing only only officially stopped on Jan. 1, 1979, when the U.S. and China established full diplomatic ties.

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