TAIWAN WEIGHS REMOVING CHIANG KAI-SHEK PORTRAIT

Some members of Taiwan's governing Democratic Progressive Party are calling for a redesign of bank notes and coins to remove the portrait of Chiang Kai-shek, who used authoritarian tactics to establish one-party rule on the island that lasted until 1996.

About 11.4 billion coins with Chiang's likeness are in circulation. Restyling the currency, including changes to ATMs, would cost about 50 billion New Taiwan dollars ($1.71 billion). Yang Chin-long, governor of Taiwan's central bank, has said there is no rush to reach a decision.

The DPP was formed in 1986 to advocate for political liberalization and is focused on the island setting a distinct identity from China. Some party members want a redesign because they consider the currency a symbol of past powers. In addition to one-party rule, Chiang's Kuomintang was known for suppression of human rights.

But not all Taiwanese hold that view toward the island's history. One woman said she opposed changing the currency because Chiang protected Taiwan from the mainland communists.

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Taiwan weighs removing Chiang Kai-shek from currency (https://asia.nikkei.com/Politics/Taiwan-weighs-removing-Chiang-Kai-shek-from-currency)

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