Generalissimo to be buried in Taiwan

"A state funeral will be held sometime between March and April next year. We are currently working on the details," a ministry spokesman said.

The spokesman said that the "details" included the ceremony and the routes along which the caskets would travel.

"We will also ask for Taipei City Government's help, since most of the route will be in the city," the spokesman said.

The Democratic Progressive Party (DPP) yesterday said the decision by the Chiang family to let the late presidents rest permanently in Taiwan, saying it demonstrates their identity with Taiwan.

"We will let history judge the deeds of the two Chiangs. But we welcome the fact that the Chiang family now sees Taiwan as their eternal and only home. It is quite meaningful, as it shows their identity with Taiwan," director of the DPP's Information and Culture Department Cheng Wen-tsan (鄭文燦) yesterday said.

EXCESSIVE COST

Cheng played down speculation that the decision of the Chiang family to bury the late presidents was intended to cash in on the "Taiwanese identity" issue in order to drum up support for the KMT's year-end legislative elections, saying there was no need for political machinations regarding this issue.

The only Chiang descendant now active in national politics is John Chang (章孝嚴), a KMT lawmaker, who is Chiang Ching-kuo's son. Chang yesterday said he supported the decision to bury his father and grandfather, as he realized the military is short on funds, and the annual cost of maintaining an honor guard at the mausoleums in Taoyuan was excessive.