Former Kuomintang Leader's Old Residence Turned into McDonald's

Former Kuomintang leader Chiang Ching-kuo's former residence in east China's Hangzhou city has been turned into a McDonald's fast food outlet.

The McDonald's outlet has opened in the main building of the old residence, a western-style brick and wood villa built in the 1930s.

A Starbucks cafe opened two months earlier this year, in a side wing of the same building, next to the McDonald's cafe.

Chiang Ching-kuo was a Kuomintang politician and leader, and son of Chiang Kai-shek, who held numerous leadership positions in Taiwan.

The use of Chiang Ching-kuo's old residence as a coffee shop and fast food outlet has stirred concerns about the protection of historical sites among netizens.

An expert on historic preservation says developing historical sites for commercial purposes and conducting renovation should both need government approval.

The expert added that those renovating historical sites are not allowed to change any interior room structure or exterior building walls.