An official from the Party School of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on Monday said the location of a large stone marker inscribed by retired top leader Jiang Zemin was moved over security concerns, and was not done as a sign of disrespect towards him. 

Zhuo Zeyuan, a deputy director of the Party School, said on Monday that they have moved the marker in front of the main building inside the campus to ensure "traffic safety."

 "Many people wanted to take pictures of the Party school, and taking photos with the stone was the best choice, which caused traffic congestion on the main road leading to the north gate of the Summer Palace and posed great danger to people's safety," Zhuo explained, reported the Xinhua News Agency.

The marker was originally placed outside the school gate. Speculation swirled online after the marker suddenly disappeared.

Some people said that moving the marker was a sign of disrespect to Jiang.

"It did not mean that we do not respect Jiang. We still respect him as always," said Zhuo, adding that the school is constructing other landmarks and statues, including those for the late Chinese leaders Mao Zedong and Deng Xiaoping.

Another anonymous school official told the Beijing Youth Daily on Monday that they are making five statues to serve as school symbols.

According to the official, other statues to be made are those of Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, and those for the aspirations of students and faculty.

Yan Shuhan, director of the Party School's scientific socialism department, who spoke highly of the statues. He told the Global Times on Monday that "the statues demonstrate the school's political stance and enrich the campus culture by using the statues to embody the school's academic pursuits."

The statues, which are made by leading Chinese sculptors, are an effort to bring the spirit of the Party to campus, according to Xinhua.

The Party school also plans to erect a statue of another excellent Party cadre in addition to Jiao Yulu to inspire leading officials to learn from exemplary figures.