Taiwan pledges $1 million to Eisenhower Memorial

WASHINGTON, July 14 (UPI) -- Taiwan has pledged $1 million to help construct a memorial in Washington, D.C., to former President Dwight D. Eisenhower, the memorial commission announced Tuesday.

"The donation will be given in grateful recognition of President Eisenhower's 'staunch support for Taiwan's security and his strong commitment to the U.S.-ROC (Republic of China) relationship,'" a statement from the Dwight D. Eisenhower Memorial Commission said. The gift was announced by Sen. Pat Roberts (R-Kan.), commission chairman, who confirmed receipt of the pledge by Taipei Economic and Cultural Representative Office in the United States.

The memorial, under consideration for the past 15 years, will be built on a four-acre site in downtown Washington. Its nontraditional design, by renowned architect Frank Gehry, features metal tapestries and has been the source of controversy.

The U.S. Congress has appropriated $60 million for the memorial's design and planning; the rest of the estimated $150 million cost will be raised by donations.