TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — Taiwan’s national history institution Academia Historica announced its plan to hold a book launch event on Oct. 31 for the release of Chiang Kai-shek’s (蔣介石) diaries spanning from 1948-1954.

Academia Historica explained that in response to the public's excitement over Chiang's diaries, it authorized the Republic of China History and Culture Society to publish the ones written during his first presidential term (1948-1954), per CNA.

The original diaries of Chiang Kai-shek and Chiang Ching-kuo (蔣經國) and numerous historic documents from their rule were returned to Taiwan in September after being stored at Stanford University for nearly 18 years.

This is a significant event in Taiwanese history, Academia Historica said. Chiang Kai-shek was the leader who ruled Taiwan for the longest period, leaving a profound influence not only on the nation but on the course of modern East Asian history, it added.

Academia Historica said that to this day, there are still differing and contradictory interpretations of Chiang Kai-shek's achievements and shortcomings, indicating that there is still some distance to go before a "final assessment."

A total of 59 boxes of Chiang family artifacts, including Chiang Kai-shek's diaries from 1917 to 1972 and Chiang Ching-kuo's diaries from 1937 to 1979, as well as personal letters, manuscripts, correspondence, diary entries from attendants, presidential endorsements, diplomatic telegrams, and microfilm rolls, were returned to Taiwan on Sept. 14.