Radio Taiwan International
Date: 2017-01-02

One of Taiwan’s top research bodies is set to release some 260,000 formerly confidential files connected to the regime of former Republic of China President Chiang Kai-shek. The organization – Academia Historica – said Monday that the files had already been audited and are in the process of declassification. They are likely to be published on-line by the end of April.

The research body says that it had digitalized the documents between 2001 and 2011, but could not release them until now because they were confidential. That’s because many of the files are connected to Chiang Kai-shek’s time in Taiwan. The digitalization process had also hit some stumbling blocks from Chiang’s party – the Kuomintang (KMT) – which had opposed the release of the files.

Academia Historica Director Wu Mi-cha will hold a press conference on Tuesday to help launch a new version of the on-line database. The new interface will go live on Thursday, allowing the public free access to some 50,000 documents related to Chiang Kai-shek.

Academia Historica says that 95% of the files have already been declassified. The research body says that a very small number of files will remain classified and require individuals to apply in order to view them.    [SOURCE]