Kinmen, also known as Quemoy, is a small island with a very big reputation. Situated just off the coast of Mainland China, it was the site of fierce fighting between Communist and Nationalist forces when the latter withdrew from the mainland in 1949.The Kinmen Islands were known in earlier times as Wuzhou. In 1387, the Marquis of Jiangxia Chou Te-hsing erected walls to defend the Kinmen Island against pirates. Because of its geographic position, the Kinmen Wall became known as the "impregnable fort guarding the gate to the sea," from which the name "Kinmen," or "Golden Gate," derives. For nearly a half century, Kinmen was a battleground in Taiwan's defense against the mainland forces. Military administration of Kinmen was lifted in 1992, marking the start of the island's emergence as a tourism destination. In January 2001, direct cross-strait links were opened between Kinmen and Xiamen in mainland China, putting the island in a key position for cross-strait interactions.