Workmen on December 7 began removing giant Chinese characters from a memorial previously dedicated to Chiang Kai-shek, the latest action in the Taiwan government's campaign to eradicate the "one China" legacy of the late dictator.
The four metal characters, each about 5 feet tall, contained an alternative name for Chiang -- Chong Cheng -- amid a well-known philosophical phrase from the early 16th century. The phrase, "Ta Chong Chih Cheng," means impartiality.
Violence flared at the memorial on December 6, when a truck driver identified as Peng Sheng-lu drove his vehicle at a group of TV cameramen, injuring one critically. Police initially said that Peng acted without malice but later charged him with attempted murder.
The government's decision to dismantle the memorial's Chinese characters comes ahead of a presidential election in March that will pit Frank Hsieh of the DPP against Ma Ying-jeou, who favors Taiwan's unification with the mainland.
The DPP government last year began efforts to delegitimize Chiang's legacy. It also has ordered the removal of Chiang's name from Taiwan's main international airport, and dismantled dozens of Chiang statues from military bases. (Source: Debby Wu, AP, Dec 10, 2007).