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On an island separated from China by a narrow strip of sea, oyster farmer Li Kai-chen collects mollusks on a shore known for its bloody battle over control of Taiwan. While the 66-year-old has worked to keep tradition alive in Kinmen, the island administered by Taiwan has found itself on the frontline of Chinese war games. “These centuries-old oyster beds not only produce food, they represent a culture and a history,” he told AFP.

Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te vowed to defend democracy during his inauguration last week. China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, launched military drills on Thursday to encircle Taiwan and its outlying islands. China deployed warplanes, naval vessels and coast guard ships in the latest show of force since several drills in 2022 and 2023.



Kinmen’s oyster farmers said they were accustomed to the shows of Chinese might and would focus instead on collecting as many mollusks as they could. “I’m more afraid of the tide than of China,” said a woman also surnamed Li, who declined to provide her full name. “Kinmen is very safe,” said the 64-year-old.

Their historic oyster farm stands less than five kilometers (three miles) from Xiamen, a Chinese megacity filled with imposing skyscrapers. Li Kai-chen stood among rows of granite blocks brought from China more than 400 years ago where the oysters grow. He used a metal staff to scrape them off - a farming method unique from shuckers typically taken off reef rocks.

Fortress islan.

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