Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT) Vice Chairman John Chiang (蔣孝嚴), son of former president Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國), yesterday rejected a proposed relocation of his father and grandfather’s mausoleums, saying that the mausoleums should remain in Taoyuan County until family members reach a consensus on the issue.
The issue of the relocation of former presidents Chiang Kai-shek’s (蔣介石) and Chiang Ching-kuo’s mausoleums emerged again on the 37th anniversary of Chiang Kai-shek’s death yesterday.
President Ma Ying-jeou (馬英九) led KMT officials, including John Chiang and vice president-elect Wu Den-yih (吳敦義), to visit Chiang Kai-shek’s mausoleum in Chihu (慈湖), Taoyuan County, to commemorate the anniversary.
Photo: CNA
Ma bowed in front of Chiang Kai-shek’s sarcophagus and presented bouquets of flowers as part of his annual commemoration of the anniversary. He did not mention the relocation during the visit.
The remains of the two Chiangs were supposed to be relocated from temporary mausoleums in Chihu and nearby Touliao (頭寮) in Taoyuan County to the Wujhihshan Military Cemetery in then-Taipei County in January 2004, in accordance with the family’s wishes.
However, the Chiang family applied to the Ministry of the Interior in 2006 to halt the relocation plan, which has been stalled since.
In response to a call by DPP Legislator Hsueh Ling (薛凌) for the interior ministry and the Ministry of National Defense to seek a final decision from the Chiang family, John Chiang said he would not comment on any legislator’s suggestions, but said the relocation should be determined by the whole Chiang family.
“The relocation of the mausoleum is a great matter, and careful consideration should be made before a final consensus is reached. It is important to respect family members’ opinions. The KMT’s thoughts and the general public’s deep feelings about the two former presidents should also be considered,” he said after the commemoration.
“For me, keeping the mausoleums in their current locations for now would meet the expectations of the majority,” he added.
Asked if the two Chiangs’ mausoleums should be relocated to China, as Chiang Fan Chi-yi (蔣方智怡), widow of Chiang Ching-kuo’s son Chiang Hsiao-yung (蔣孝勇), and some family members suggested, John Chiang said the time was not ripe for the relocation of the mausoleums to China.
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