Fujian Province
Constitutional fiction: 'Fujian Province' = Kinmen + Matsu islands facing China (2km). ROC claim to mainland, PRC economic gravity. By 2026, cross-strait relations determine bridge or frontline status.
A constitutional fiction with real consequences—Taiwan's "Fujian Province" comprises only two offshore island groups (Kinmen and Matsu) that the Republic of China retained after 1949. The formal provincial structure (abolished 1998 but constitutionally referenced) represented the ROC's claim to all of mainland Fujian Province, which the PRC actually governs.
The islands themselves sit within sight of Chinese cities. Kinmen faces Xiamen (2km away); Matsu faces Fuzhou. This proximity made them Cold War flashpoints and now positions them for cross-strait commerce—when politics permits. The 2001 "mini three links" enabled limited ferry and trade connections.
Residents navigate dual realities: ROC citizenship and governance, PRC economic gravity. Many have mainland relatives; cross-strait family ties predate ideological division. Tourism, duty-free commerce, and kaoliang liquor production characterize island economies.
2026 trajectory: The constitutional designation persists as political symbol while practical governance operates through county structures. Cross-strait tension determines whether these islands function as bridges or frontlines. Their fate depends on decisions made in Taipei, Beijing, and Washington—not locally.