Over decades, their strategical position has evolved from both Taiwan and the People's Republic of China. After the tensions of the 1950s, which have evolved into 2 major crises, Kinmen and Matsu became over time the first trading points with the PRC to consequently turn into a ‘grey zone’ which Beijing treats as an area managed by Taiwan and having a circumstantial function both as an example of reconciliation and cooperation, which is treated as a phase of unification in the long term, as well as investigating hybrid activities and exerting force on Taipei. Without specified a decisive importance as in the first period of the Cold War, the islands are not an outbreak, the origin of a crisis that could turn into an open conflict, although in the event of its explosion, or attempts at a forceful solution to Taiwan's problem, they will most likely be the first victim of it.
