Taiwan is taking steps to end the “veneration of authoritarianism” by withdrawing military honour guards from the memorial hall of former leader Chiang Kai-shek. Once hailed as an anti-communist hero, Chiang is now seen by many in Taiwan as a despot who oppressed and killed his opponents during his rule. After losing to Mao Zedong’s Communists in a civil war, Chiang relocated to Taiwan in 1949 where he continued his authoritarian regime until his death in 1975.
In efforts to promote political openness, Chiang’s son, Chiang Ching-kuo, began making changes during his time in office. Now, with Taiwan being a democracy, the Ministry of Culture is moving military honour guards from inside the memorial hall to the square in front of it as part of transitional justice goals. Taiwan’s Transitional Justice Commission is also investigating political persecutions during Chiang’s rule, which lasted until martial law ended in 1987. The country has been gradually reducing Chiang’s presence in public spaces, such as renaming the main airport in 2006 from Chiang Kai-shek International Airport to Taoyuan International Airport.
These changes reflect Taiwan’s commitment to moving away from authoritarianism and towards a more democratic society.
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