TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The Ministry of Defense believes the permanent military guard watching over the large bronze statue in the center of Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall (中正紀念堂), depicting the hall’s namesake and Taiwan’s former military dictator, should remain there as a symbol of protection for the head of state, according to reported discussions between government agencies.

Legislator Lin I-chin (林宜瑾) raised a general question in the legislature on March 17 suggesting that the removal of the guard would be a simple way for the Ministry of Culture to deny allegiance to a specific individual, per Watchout. Premier Chen Chien-jen (陳建仁) and Minister of Culture Shih Che (史哲) responded, saying that “de-authorization” and “de-individualization” is the consensus between both major parties.

Critics of the military guard believe it symbolizes reverence for Taiwan’s authoritarian past, and suggest that the soldiers be moved to guard the flag platform, thus solving the problem of alleged “dictator loyalty” while protecting the guard’s sightseeing value. However, under-secretary for the Ministry of Culture Sue Wang (王時思) told Watchout that ongoing discussions between her ministry and the Ministry of Defense have hit upon a key disagreement; that the latter believes it's inappropriate for the guard to become a purely sightseeing attraction.

Wang said that Chiang Kai-shek Memorial Hall is under the supervision of the Ministry of Education and that while she thinks the guards are inappropriate, her ministry still needs to coordinate with the Ministry of Defense on the matter. She said that in addition to the memorial hall, the Sun Yat-sen memorial hall and the Chiang family mausoleum in Taoyuan still need to be discussed.

In 2007, the Chen Shui-bian (陳水扁) government removed the guard, renamed the hall National Taiwan Democracy Hall, and the surrounding grounds Liberty Square. The guard and hall’s original name were restored by Ma Ying-jeou’s (馬英九) government in 2009, though the name Liberty Square remains.