Geography of Matsu Island
Matsu Island, the largest of the six Matsu islands, which cover 12 square miles (31 km2) in the Taiwan Strait. Matsu is 10 miles (16 km) east of the Chinese mainland, 120 miles (193 km) northeast of Taiwan, and 175 miles (282 km) northeast of Quemoy Island. Like Quemoy, Matsu became an outpost of Taiwan's Chinese Nationalists when Communists secured the mainland in 1949. Matsu and Quemoy were repeatedly shelled, and their defense was an issue in United States foreign policy during the 1950's.