Over the years there have been many rumours about the secret tunnels under Taipei’s Grand Hotel. Some say they were secret passageways to the presidential office five kilometres away. Others say they led to the Songshan airport or a secret military base. Now, the rumours are that the tunnels will shelter VIPs should the city come under attack from China’s People’s Liberation Army.
The tunnels were built in the 1970s, as part of a major renovation of the hotel, amid the twin fears of the cold war and a Chinese attack. They were designed to provide an escape for Chiang Kai-shek, the ageing authoritarian leader of the Republic of China (Taiwan’s formal name) and any world dignitaries who happen to be visiting. Construction was completed in 1973, just two years before Chiang’s death.