The Ministry of National Defense yesterday said it will cautiously assess a suggestion that the lyrics of the Republic of China Military Academy anthem be changed.
Democratic Progressive Party Legislator Liu Shih-fang (劉世芳) urged the ministry to change the words “party flag flying” in the song to “national flag flying” to avoid blurring the lines between party and nation.
Her appeal triggered debate, with some retired generals criticizing the suggestion, including one who compared it to a move to change the family name on an ancestral shrine.
However, the ministry’s comments appeared to leave the door open to changes.
Ministry of National Defense spokesman Major General Chen Chung-chi (陳中吉) said it “will assess the matter in a cautious and comprehensive way.”
“We respect all options and will consider views from all sides,” he said.
Chen said Taiwan is a democratic and pluralistic society and that all issues are open to discussion, including by retired generals.
The ministry will endeavor to have a mature discussion and make a more thorough assessment, he said.
The Republic of China Military Academy was established in China’s Guangzhou Province in 1924 by the Chinese Nationalist Party (KMT).
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