Erdan Island
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Native name: 二膽島 | |
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 View of Dadan Island and Erdan Island | |
 Erdan Island in Kinmen County | |
  Erdan Island Taiwan | |
| Geography | |
| Location | Lieyu Township, Kinmen County (Quemoy), Fuchien, Republic of China (Taiwan) |
| Coordinates | 24°22′40.9″N 118°09′40.7″E / 24.378028°N 118.161306°E |
| Area | 0.2800 km2 (0.1081 sq mi)[1][2] |
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]
| External image | |
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 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
The island covers an area of 0.28 km2 (0.11 mi2).[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]
