Sawt Falasteen - Chinese tourists pine for Taiwan's return as Beijing jets surround island

On a sunny Wednesday at a scenic park in Pingtan -- just 130 kilometres (80 miles) from Taiwan -- a steady stream of tourists wearing sunglasses and brandishing mobile phones hiked to the edge of a cliff for views of the self-ruled island.

Ye Shenjian, snapping a photo of his wife and young son, told AFP he said he had seen news of the drills on TV and was hopeful that one day Taiwan would "return to China".

"I hope that one day we can ride the train directly to Taiwan," he said.

Another, Gao Feng, toured the park with his wife, using a looking glass to peer at nearby rock formations and the water.

"I'd always heard of this beautiful place. I've wanted to come and see a bluer sea, which is pretty rare in China," the 55-year-old doctor from eastern Anhui province said.

"It's pretty close to Taiwan. Makes me a bit sentimental."

For Gao and others in his generation, the idea of Taiwan under Chinese control has been much-discussed since his youth.

"The liberation of Taiwan was something written in our primary school textbooks," he said.

"I've always believed we are one family, and a family should be together sooner or later."

- 'Precious island' -

Visiting with her friend from southwestern Yunnan, Wang Juedan also said she had Taiwan on her mind since her youth -- the island produced some of her favourite television shows.

"Seeing it feels pretty shocking," she said.

"We've only seen Taiwan on television in dramas or the news."

The 28-year-old said she hopes unification would come soon: "Travelling there will be more convenient."

Communist China has never ruled Taiwan, where indigenous tribes have lived for thousands of years. The island was partly or totally ruled at various times by the Dutch, Spanish, China's Qing dynasty and Japan.

While Beijing has threatened to use force to bring Taiwan under its control, and its annexation by China would likely see the eradication of the island's vibrant democratic system and a crackdown on any opposition to Chinese rule.

That did not phase retiree Wang Quanqiu, who said he had driven almost 2,000 kilometres from Beijing to Pingtan with his wife.

He said he dreams of going back to Taiwan one day, which he visited twice before Taipei restricted Chinese residents from travelling there.

"Once our precious island Taiwan returns, I want to drive my own car all the way to Taiwan," the 71-year-old said.

He and his wife stay up to date with the news about Taiwan as avid watchers of a regular state media programme on cross-strait activities, Wang said.

"It won't take that long for my dream to come true," Wang said.

- 'We want peace' -

AFP journalists saw a jet flying from the sea over the scenic area, which lies next to a Chinese military base -- a stark reminder of the military drills taking place in the waters around Taiwan.

Resident Liu Lili, visiting her son who studied nearby, also told AFP she was "looking forward to the day when China could get them back."

Liu, in her 50s, expressed disdain for some Taiwanese politicians -- in particular former President Tsai Ing-wen.

They were "eating China's food", she said.

Pingtan locals were a little more circumspect.

One resident, wearing a bright orange vest and tall rubber boots as she gathered waste from the ocean, said she did not expect Chinese leadership to use force.

The woman, who did not want to share her name, said she and other locals kept their distance from anything related to China's military -- gesturing towards a set of an army compound atop a nearby mountain.

"Locals definitely want peace."

K.AbuTaha--SF-PST