President Yen Chia-kan encouraged the nation to continue efforts to develop and sustain Chinese culture at a meeting to mark the 10th anniversary of the Chinese Cultural Renaissance Movement.
President Yen told more than 400 representatives from all walks of life that both Dr. Sun Yat-sen and the late President Chiang Kai-shek stressed the importance of developing Chinese culture.
President Yen said President Chiang envisaged the Chinese Cultural Renaissance Movement as the means of transcending the world wide cultural crisis. These were goals set by President Chiang:
- A wakening of the people from indolence so as to start their spiritual build-Up in a harmonious society of mutual assistance.
- Use of the renaissance as a weapon to counter the evil of Communism, which is trying to destroy Chinese culture. President Chiang said those "who attempt to destroy Chinese culture will finally be destroyed by Chinese culture and those who seek to destroy the Three Principles of the People must perish under the impact of the Principles."
- Amalgamation of modern ideas with Chinese tradition so as to learn the unknown from the known. President Chiang regarded democracy and science as supreme objectives of Renaissance.
President Yen said the movement is identified with academic research and the livelihood of the people.
Boys' baseball teams take three titles
Two Chinese baseball teams won two world titles in the United States on the same day and the Little Leaguers added the third boys' crown a few days later.
The Republic Of China trounced Broward County twice in a row, 4 to I and 4 to 0, to win the Big League boys' title at Little Yankee Stadium in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. This was the fourth consecutive Chinese victory.
Huang Kuang-chi and reliever Hsu Sheng-ming, both 5-foot 7-inch righthanders, combined to scatter four American hits and strike out eight in the 4-0 clash.
In the first game, which pitted China from the losers' bracket against Broward from the winners' bracket, Huang relieved southpaw Lee Tsung-yuan in the fourth. The two pitchers struck out 11 and gave up five hits.
China had been beaten (by Broward) for the first time in history earlier in the double-elimination tournament. Nine Chinese hits included a two-run homer by shortstop Tu Fu-ming.
The Chinese Big Leaguers (16, 17 and 18-year-olds) scored six victories, including the two over Broward; two over the U.S. East, 2-1 and 7-0; and one each over the U.S. South, 7-0, and the U.S. West 3-2.
Chinese Senior Little Leaguers claimed their sixth straight world title by rolling over the U.S.South, 5 to 1, at Gary, Indiana.
Hsieh Chang-heng hurled a three-hitter and struck out six to help Taipei's Hua Hsing Middle School from nailing down the championship in the 16th World Series.
Hua Hsing squad had defeated Canada 10-1, the U.S. West 7-0 and the U.S. South 6-1 and 5-1 without loss.
Chiang Chen-jung pitched a four-hitter and had three hits to lead the Republic of China to a 7 to 2 victory over E1 Cajon, California, in the championship game of the 31st Little League World Series.
The win marked the ROC's sixth world title in seven tries since 1969.
Chiang struck out nine and walked two in finishing the Little League tournament with an 8-0 record. He also went three-for four to finish the series with a phenomenal .833 average (10 hits in 12 at-bats).
Johnny Osborne went the distance for E1 Cajon for his only defeat in eight tournament games. He pitched a six-hitter and struck out eight but suffered from wildness, walking seven and uncorking four wild pitches.
Tourism shows gain of nearly 12 per cent
A total of 638,960 tourists visited Taiwan during the January-July period this year, an increase of 66,687 (11.7 per cent) compared with the figure for the same period last year.
The Tourism Bureau of the Communications Ministry said 551,422 tourists were foreigners, up by 53,976 and 10.9 per cent compared with the 497,446 for the corresponding period last year. Overseas Chinese numbered 87,538, up by 12,711 and 17 per cent.
In July alone, 77,060 overseas tourists were recorded, an increase of 3,954 (5,4 per cent) with 64,773 foreigners, up 4,024 and 6.6 per cent. Overseas Chinese were down by a fraction of 1 per cent.
Japanese arrivals (33,209) accounted for 43 per cent of the July total and an increase of 2.8 per cent. The 13,452 American visitors represented an increase of 9 per cent.
Of the 12,287 overseas Chinese (15.94 per cent), 11,321 came from Hongkong, accounting for 92.14 per cent.
Tourists stayed for an average of 7.73 days in July and the daily arrivals averaged 2,485.
Tourists spent an average of US$68.90 daily in 1976, an increase of US$2.04 over 1975.
A survey conducted by the College of Commerce of Catholic Fu Jen University showed that Japanese tourists accounted for 51.3 per cent of arrivals. Businessmen and salesmen made up 45.68 per cent of the visitors by occupation.
The ratio of male over female visitors was 5.8:1. Those coming for sightseeing accounted for 53.83 per cent of the total.
Shopping led the spending category with US$21.85 or 31.72 per cent of the daily total. Hotel charges averaged US$14,40 (20.89 per cent); recreation, US$13.85 (20.1 per cent); food, US$10.55 (15.30 per cent); and communications and miscellaneous, US$8.26 (11.99 per cent).
Foreign tourists stayed 7.58 days, overseas Chinese 13.69 days.
Twenty-one hotels with 6,549 rooms are under construction or about to be built.
The Tourism Bureau reported 15 of the hotels with 5,302 rooms are in Taipei. Others are in Taichung (one with 205 rooms), Kaohsiung (three with 632 rooms) and Hualien (two with 410 rooms).
TTB said 1,010 new rooms will be available before the end of this year. They include 440 rooms in Taipei, 160 in Kaohsiung and 410 in Hualien.
Scheduled openings include 1,230 rooms in 1979 and 2,009 in 1980.
Defector enjoys cultural treasures
Fan Yuan-yen, the former Red Chinese air force squadron leader who piloted a MIG19 to Taiwan July 7, was impressed by the greatness of Chinese culture as he toured the National Palace Museum in Taipei.
He said the porcelain collection is much better than that in Peiping, where the museum is not always open to the public.
"They (the Communists) open the museum only periodically," he said, "and they don't have so many delicate porcelains."
Fan showed a preference for Sung dynasty (960-1279 A.D.) Ting ware, which features white porcelain and incised designs.
Older generation shows speed afoot
One hundred and thirty persons aged 45 to 85 participated in a Taipei running meet. All completed the distance of 5 or 10 kilometers.
Forty-four runners took part in the 10-kilometer race for those from 45 to 54 years old. The remaining 86 people, all over 55, ran 5 kilometers.
Chen Chung-yi, 61, won at 5 kilometers in 24 minutes and 50 seconds.
Tseng Ching-mao, 53, won the 10-kilometer race in 41 minutes and 46 seconds.
Wang Chuan-hsin, 85, the oldest participant, took 46 minutes and 48 seconds for 5 kilometers.
Admiral Ni Yue-si, chairman of the Amateur Athletic Federation, praised the courage of the runners.
Food bill is high but steadily declining
Food still accounts for a lion's share of family spending in Taiwan but its share is declining.
According to a survey conducted by the Taiwan Provincial Government Department of Budgets, Accounting and Statistics, the average family spent 43.94 per cent of its income for food in 1976, down 1.08 per cent com pared with the previous year.
In 1964, food accounted for 51.78 per cent of family spending.
Last year's expenditures included 1.66 per cent for beverages, 3.1 per cent for tobacco, 6.4 per cent for clothing, 23.6 per cent for housing, 4.63 per cent for medical care, 5.03 percent for transportation, 6.22 per cent for entertainment and 5.22 per cent for miscellaneous.
Per household, there was a piano for every 58.42, an airconditioner for every 51. 79, a telephone set for every 5.9, a washing machine for every 2.82, a refrigerator for every 1.37 and a television set for every 1.09.
College graduates find jobs hard to get
College graduates are finding it harder to land a job, a government survey showed. One reason is the increasing number of graduates - about 50,000 a year.
Of the 23,406 college graduates answering survey queries, 4.46 per cent had jobs, 47.43 percent were looking for jobs and 11.15 per cent didn't have jobs or need them for the time being.
Girls have fewer job opportunities than boys. The higher the amount of education, the better the job opportunities. All those with Ph.D. degrees had jobs. For master's degrees, the job rate was 68.77 per cent; bachelor's degrees, 48.02 per cent; three-year junior college graduates, 38.32 per cent; two-year junior college graduates, 38.23 per cent; and five-year junior college graduates, 29.8 per cent.
Of those looking for jobs, five-year college graduates make up 61.82 per cent; two-year junior college graduates, 56.7 per cent; three-year junior college graduates, 55.1 per cent; holders of bachelor's degrees, 38.18 per cent; and holders of master's degrees, 6.67 per cent.
To strengthen vocational education and raise the level of technical manpower, the Ministry of Education recently held qualification examinations for students attending institutes of technology.
Of the 4,785 students participating, 2,644 were majors in mechanical engineering and 2,141 were majors in electrical engineering.
The 1,542 examinees who passed accounted for 33 per cent.
The next examination will include students majoring in civil engineering, chemical engineering, textile engineering and other fields.
The government completed plans for a five-year program to train 263,830 technicians and vocational instructors between 1978 and 1982.
Training will stress the transition from labor-intensive to technology-intensive industries and requirements of engineering service abroad.
New technicians will total 91,900. Refresher training will be given 165,000 technicians. Vocational instructors will number 4,430 and handicapped persons 2,500.
Hunting ban results are mixed
The Animal Protection Association is suggesting that the government partially lift the three year hunting ban to allow the killing of some animals in September of next year.
Wang Yu-yung, president of the association, said the population of wild animals has increased. Boars and squirrels have damaged crops.
The association will discuss details of species, hunting zones and seasons.
Wang said the hunting ban had not been wholly effective.
Many animal vendors are still enjoying a brisk business and do not fear shortages. Wang said fines are too low.
Such animals as clouded leopards, sika deer, Chinese river otters, mikado pheasants and huameis are nearly extinct.
The association may suggest the fine for prohibited hunting be raised to NT$5,000.
Chinese girls win soccer crown
Hsia Tsueh Feng's goal in the 54th minute of the second half gave the Republic of China the title in the Second Asian Cup Ladies' Soccer Football Tournament in Taipei. China defeated Thailand 1 to 0. Singapore beat Indonesia for third place.
Chosen as top players were Huang Ying-hsuer, Huang Pi-yuen, Yang Hsiou-chih, Tung Mei-chiao, Liu Su-yueh, Chen Shu-ying and Lin Shu-chen of the ROC, Yuppadee Chaiswasdi and Wanvilai Thongsa of the Thai team, and Kamala of the Singapore team.
Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, Hongkong and the home team participated in the 10-day tournament.
The Third Asian Cup Tournament will be held in Singapore.
Prodigal pigeon back after 10 years
Wang Chi-jui was happier than a father welcoming home a prodigal.
Wang raises racing pigeons at his home in Paiho, Tainan county. He entered a darkspotted 8-month-old hybrid male in a race back in August, 1967.
That was a gruelling race. Pigeons made five flights from different parts of Taiwan.
Wang's pigeon made four flights. For the fifth flight, birds were released at Ilan in the northeast for a 200-kilometer flight across the island to Tainan in the southwest.
A typhoon intervened and no pigeons made it home.
Wang recently spotted a stranger in his pigeon loft. It had dark spots and looked familiar. Wang examined its tag - 6772766. It was the bird he had lost 10 years before.
Pigeon lovers quickly crowded Wang's place. Birds sometimes return after three or four years.
"But 10 years, that's something," one of the pigeon raisers said.
What made the feat even more amazing was that Wang had rebuilt his loft. It wasn't the one the bird knew. "But it came back," Wang said.
Kites fly all year in Taiwan's breezes
On every windy afternoon, colorful kites in the form of swallows, dragons, tigers, and butter flies may be seen flying high above the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Taipei.
Kite flying, a traditional Chinese folk activity, is a popular all-year pastime in Taiwan.
Li Shang-pai, a retired serviceman, has interested hundreds of people in kite flying by putting his beautiful kites through their paces at the Memorial Hall.
According to Li, the bamboo frame is the crucial element in making a good kite. Bamboo must be straight and aged.
The bamboo stalk is split into uniform strips less than an eighth of an inch wide.
Rice paper is best because it is light and strong. It takes dyestuffs easily and does not stretch.
The point of attaching the string is important to lift and stability.
Popular designs include dragons, tigers, swallows, phoenixes, goldfishes, butterflies and dragon flies.
The price of kites ranges from NT$30 to NT$3,000.
More visitors to ROC urged
The Republic of China should ask people from allover the world, especially those from afar, to visit Taiwan, said Dr. Gunther Winkler, president of the Institute of Chinese in Vienna, who came to Taiwan with a group of Austrians.
The former president of the University of Vienna has visited Taiwan six times. He has been impressed by the moderate character of the Chinese people.
People living far away do not know the reality of life here, he said.
Speaking of education, Dr. Kurt Komarek, new president of the University of Vienna, praised the joint college entrance examination.
Dr. Isolde Hiessmayer, president of the University of Industry in Vienna, contrasted the educational system of Taiwan with that of Red China.
The Austrian scholars met with President Yen Chia-kan.
The Austrian government annually offers four scholarships to students from Taiwan. More than 100 free Chinese students are studying music in Vienna.
Dr. Friedrich Korcak, dean of the Academy of Music of the University of Vienna, noted free China's interest in music. He suggested exchange visits by young Austrian musicians to give instruction in Taiwan and raise the level of musical teaching.