To try to diminish the political representation of the National Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, a KMT lawmaker plans to propose an amendment next week that would rename the building "President Memorial Hall," where all ROC presidents would be remembered after they pass away.
Lawmaker Huang Ter-fu (黃德福) said the idea was inspired by a recent proposal to build another memorial for the late president Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國) raised by KMT lawmaker John Chang (章孝嚴), Chiang Ching-kuo's illegitimate son.
Huang said he does not think Chang's proposal is feasible in light of the difficulty in acquiring a site for the building.
The problem would only be exacerbated if every president is to have a memorial, Huang said.
While gathering the presidents' artifacts at one place will facilitate the comprehensive preservation of the collections, renaming the hall would also depoliticize it, Huang said.
He also said that there is no guarantee that the TSU, which has recently played up a string of controversial issues in order to capture media attention, will not one day use the issue to attack the KMT.
Under these circumstances, it would be better for the KMT to take a preemptive move, Huang proposed.
KMT legislative caucus whip Lin Yi-shih (
Lin said every lawmaker enjoys the right to raise a legislative proposal, but it is not commendable if the purpose for doing so is to put on a political show.
Unlike Lin, who took a cautious attitude toward the issue, many lawmakers expressed approval for Huang's proposal.
KMT lawmaker Shyh Jong-shyong (徐中雄) said that Taiwan should stop glorifying its dictatorial past and that the hall should pay homage to the nation's legacy of democracy.
DPP lawmaker Lin Cho-shui (林濁水) said the site of the memorial hall would be an ideal one for relocating the Legislative Yuan because it is close to the Executive Yuan and has a spacious square where people can stage demonstrations.
However, Lin said Huang's idea is also acceptable.
TSU lawmaker Chen Chien-ming (
Chen further suggested removing the bodies of the two late presidents from their mausoleums in Tzuhu and Touliao and having them buried so that the sites could be opened to the public for other purposes.
John Chang, however, is against the proposal, arguing the nation's two late presidents enjoy a different historical status from other presidents.
Though it would be convenient to exhibit all the presidents' artifacts at what is now the Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall, doing so would not serve to remember a head of state who had contributed a great deal to the country, Chang said.
Echoing Chang's opinion, PFP lawmaker Chin Huei-chu (秦慧珠) said other countries usually do not remember all of their presidents, but rather only build memorials for those who make outstanding contributions to their nations.
‘DENIAL DEFENSE’: The US would increase its military presence with uncrewed ships, and submarines, while boosting defense in the Indo-Pacific, a Pete Hegseth memo said The US is reorienting its military strategy to focus primarily on deterring a potential Chinese invasion of Taiwan, a memo signed by US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth showed. The memo also called on Taiwan to increase its defense spending. The document, known as the “Interim National Defense Strategic Guidance,” was distributed this month and detailed the national defense plans of US President Donald Trump’s administration, an article in the Washington Post said on Saturday. It outlines how the US can prepare for a potential war with China and defend itself from threats in the “near abroad,” including Greenland and the Panama
The Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) is maintaining close ties with Beijing, the Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) said yesterday, hours after a new round of Chinese military drills in the Taiwan Strait began. Political parties in a democracy have a responsibility to be loyal to the nation and defend its sovereignty, DPP spokesman Justin Wu (吳崢) told a news conference in Taipei. His comments came hours after Beijing announced via Chinese state media that the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s Eastern Theater Command was holding large-scale drills simulating a multi-pronged attack on Taiwan. Contrary to the KMT’s claims that it is staunchly anti-communist, KMT Deputy
RESPONSE: The government would investigate incidents of Taiwanese entertainers in China promoting CCP propaganda online in contravention of the law, the source said Taiwanese entertainers living in China who are found to have contravened cross-strait regulations or collaborated with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) could be subject to fines, a source said on Sunday. Several Taiwanese entertainers have posted on the social media platform Sina Weibo saying that Taiwan “must be returned” to China, and sharing news articles from Chinese state media. In response, the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) has asked the Ministry of Culture to investigate whether the entertainers had contravened any laws, and asked for them to be questioned upon their return to Taiwan, an official familiar with the matter said. To curb repeated
Myanmar has turned down an offer of assistance from Taiwanese search-and-rescue teams after a magnitude 7.7 earthquake struck the nation on Friday last week, saying other international aid is sufficient, the National Fire Agency said yesterday. More than 1,700 have been killed and 3,400 injured in the quake that struck near the central Myanmar city of Mandalay early on Friday afternoon, followed minutes later by a magnitude 6.7 aftershock. Worldwide, 13 international search-and-rescue teams have been deployed, with another 13 teams mobilizing, the agency said. Taiwan’s search-and-rescue teams were on standby, but have since been told to stand down, as