The sculptor of a statue of late dictator Chiang Kai-shek (
"Sculptor Lin Mu-chuan (
The bureau issued the statement after its director-general, Wang Zhi-cheng (
The city government broke up the statue for removal last Monday evening after it passed a draft bill to amend the Organic Regulations Concerning the Bureau of Cultural Affairs of the Kaohsiung City Government (高雄市政府文化局組織規程) on Monday morning.
The passage of the draft enabled the city government to not only rename its Chiang Kai-shek Culture Center but also to remove symbols of Chiang, including a huge statue sitting in the center's main hall.
Wang said Lin told him the way the bureau removed the statue was correct given the statue's size and weight.
The statue was divided into 79 pieces and not some 200 pieces as the Chinese-language United Daily News had alleged, Director-General of the Kaohsiung City Government's Information Department Hsiao Yu-cheng (
With a great understanding of the work, Lin said that it should not be difficult to recombine the statue's segments, Wang said, adding that the artist also offered to assist in the recombination of the statue in Taoyuan, where the segments were moved.
"It is a different era now. Everyone should be treated fairly and enjoy mutual respect," the statement quoted Lin as saying. "Art works should be returned to suitable places for exhibition instead of becoming the focus of political wrangling."
Removal of the statue had created tensions between the police and pan-blue city councilors, legislators and supporters on Tuesday morning.
On Wednesday, the city government was not willing to say where the segmented statue was to be delivered. It was discovered later that the statue was sent to the CKS Statue Park in Tashi (
The city government said on Thursday that the main hall of the culture center will be turned into a small exhibition hall.
The Japan-Taiwan Exchange Association has cautioned Japanese travelers to be vigilant against pickpockets at several popular tourist spots in Taiwan, including Taipei’s night markets, the Yongkang Street area, Zhongshan MRT Station, and Jiufen (九份) in New Taipei City. The advisory, titled “Recent Development of Concerns,” was posted on the association’s Web site under its safety and emergency report section. It urges travelers to keep backpacks fully zipped and carried in front, with valuables placed at the bottom of the bag. Visitors are advised to be especially mindful of their belongings when taking photos or speaking on the phone, avoid storing wallets and
ENDORSING TAIWAN: Honduran presidential candidate Nasry Afura said that Honduras was ‘100 times better off’ when it was allied with Taipei The Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday said it would explore the possibility of restoring diplomatic relations with Honduras based on the principle of maintaining national interests and dignity. The ministry made the remarks in response to reporters’ questions regarding an article titled: “Will Taiwan Regain a Diplomatic Ally?” published in The Diplomat on Saturday. The article said Honduras’ presidential election in November could offer Taiwan the chance to regain an ally, as multiple candidates have promoted re-establishing diplomatic relations with Taiwan. Honduras severed diplomatic ties with Taiwan in March 2023 in favor of Beijing, but since switching its diplomatic recognition,
Scoot announced yesterday that starting in October, it would increase flights between Taipei and Japan’s Narita airport and Hokkaido, and between Singapore and Taipei. The low-cost airline, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, also said it would launch flights to Chiang Rai in Thailand, Okinawa and Tokyo’s Haneda airport between December and March next year. Flights between Singapore and Chiang Rai would begin on Jan. 1, with five flights per week operated by an Embraer E190-E2 aircraft, Scoot said. Flights between Singapore and Okinawa would begin on Dec. 15, with three flights per week operated by Airbus A320 aircraft, the airline said. Services between Singapore
The Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) yesterday announced a ban on all current and former government officials from traveling to China to attend a military parade on Sept. 3, which Beijing is to hold to mark the 80th anniversary of the end of the Second Sino-Japanese War. "This year marks the 80th anniversary of the end of World War II and the Republic of China’s victory in the War of Resistance [Against Japan]," MAC Deputy Minister and spokesperson Liang Wen-chieh (梁文傑) told a regular news briefing in Taipei. To prevent Beijing from using the Sept. 3 military parade and related events for "united
RSS