Former Taiwan president's home in China becomes a McDonald's cafe

A historic home in China of a late Taiwan president has been turned into a McDonald's cafe.

The Hangzhou villa, one of the homes of Chiang Ching-Kuo, has become a McCafe outlet, according to Chinese reports.

Chiang, who passed away in 1988, was a Taiwanese politician and its president from 1978 till his death. He was also the son of former Taiwan president and leader of the ruling Kuomintang (KMT) party, Chiang Kai-Shek.

The house was built in 1931, and Chiang lived there after the second Sino-Japanese War, which was fought between China and Japan and ended in 1945. It is situated by Hangzhou's famed West Lake attraction.

McDonald's applied to lease the property in January, in a proposal detailing its plans for a 100-seater layout across the 335 square meter (3,600 square ft) building.

When news of McDonald's interest in the property was first made public, some people had a negative reaction to the idea of a historic icon being turned into a fast food joint. But a Hangzhou government official played down the cultural significance of the property in a Xinhua report,saying that the residence had changed owners several times over the past seven decades since Chiang left China, and that "there (are) few historic things left" in it.

State-run China Daily says the property has been closed to tourists for many years, and the opening of the McCafe offers people a chance to see Chiang's former residence.

Chiang left China during the Chinese Civil War that happened just after the Japanese surrendered in China. The civil war was fought between the communist party and the KMT. Chiang, together with his father who led the KMT, moved to Taiwan to set up the new government of the Republic of China.

China's contentious relationship with Taiwan has continued to today. Taiwan rules itself as a sovereign state, but mainland China doesn't recognize its independence and considers it an errant breakaway state.

Two weeks ago, Taiwan and China's presidents met for the first time since the civil war ended 66 years ago.

Source: MashableUK