On October 16 last year, Wu Jung-ken flew a Chinese Communist MiG-19 to the Republic of Korea. On landing, he told the press that he hated Communism, and he asked for political asylum in the Republic of China. The people on Taiwan waited for 15 days of Korean processing before they could welcome him home.
Ten months later, the scenario was repeated. This time it took 17 days for the freedom-seeker pilot, Sun Tien-chin—who flew a MiG-21—to make highway to the Republic of China.
It seems that the ROK has become a convenient stepping stone for Chinese Communist Air Force pilots breaking loose to fly to the Republic of China.
So it was not expected when Chinese Communist Air Force pilot Wang Hsueh-cheng, 28, made his daring flight direct to Taiwan, and safely landed al Chiang Kai-shek International Airport, almost out of gas. The time was 10: 15 a.m., November 14, only three months after Sun Tien-chin's defection. Although radio stations broadcast the exhilarating news repeatedly, the listening audience still phoned up the Government Information Office to confirm it. Simply, the exciting news had come too soon and too unexpectedly.
The recent rash of defections has forced the Communists to impose ever heavier controls over flying schedules, fuel supplies, and coastal patrol patterns, and to intensify their endless political reeducation sessions. But ignoring all disadvantages and dangers, Wang took on from his airbase at Taishan, 314 nautical miles (567 kilometers) from Taiwan, and skirted the mainland China coast, arriving here with minimum fuel. He was not intercepted by Communist China fighters, a strong possibility. Though his prospects were very small, he made it...
Before a press conference of nearly two hundred local and foreign reporters, Wang told his story:
Q: Can you say something about yourself?
A: I am a member of the Chinese Communist Naval Aviation Squadron, 6th Division, 11th Regiment Flying Wing. My home is Kaifeng in Honan Province, and my family consists of my parents, brothers, and sisters.
Q: What are the duties of your unit?
A: My unit is involved in local defense and flies older aircraft, such as MiG-17s.
Q: Please tell us about your equipment?
A: I have a "59" firearm, night maps, a lifejacket, a small knife, and a worn-out hat. (He showed them to the reporters)
Q: At what altitude did you fly, and did you know if your fuel supply was sufficient to reach Taiwan?
A: I did not fly high for fear of interception by Chinese Communist aircraft, and my fuel supply was just enough to reach Taiwan. It is not convenient to reveal at what height I flew.
Q: What time did you take off, and how long did it take you to reach Taiwan?
A: Escape to Taiwan had always been a long-term hope of mine, but I just seized my opportunity today. It would be inconvenient to speak in more detail at this time.
Q: I have heard that you would have bailed out if your fuel had been used up?
A: Yes, I had made all the necessary preparations to eject. I thought this might be necessary since, when I was already hoping to land, there were still no signs of ROC aircraft. I thought I might have flown too low for the radar to pick me up. But then two planes appeared. I gestured to them my desire to land, and they escorted me out of the clouds. I landed almost immediately at Chiang Kai-shek International Airport. The runway (I used) was under construction and very small, and my tires burst on landing, and my tank was empty.
Q: Are you aware that Taiwan presents a reward to defectors?
A: Money is not usually the major reason for defecting. Most important is the lack of freedom, the low pay, and numerous other complaints. Clothes are of very poor quality ... but you have probably never been there. The average monthly salary of workers is from 30 to 40 Renminbi (US$15-20).
Q: Do you have any plans after your arrival in the Republic of China?
A: I want to serve my country, to unify my motherland, and do my best to stop Communist persecution. This is my desire.
Both the government and the public at large gave a warm and jubilant welcome to Wang. The sound of celebratory firecrackers came from everywhere in a constant roar. Welcome posters were pasted up and street crowds were exuberant.
Dr. James Soong, the ROC government spokesman, declared that the recent rash of defections from the Chinese mainland is an active way of telling Teng Hsiao-ping that "the Chinese Communist regime is in a bad way!" He likened mainland China to an active volcano, the defectors to the flow of lava preceding an eruption. The current purge, begun recently by Teng Hsiao-ping, is an effort to hold back the eruption, Soong said. He predicted that Teng's purge would be no more successful than an attempt to hold back a volcanic eruption with the bare hands.
Soong called for redoubled efforts by free Chinese, especially on their base of national recovery on Taiwan, to advance their national development efforts in order to advance the time when those on the mainland could also enjoy freedom. He said that the Republic of China's governing Three Principles of the People (democracy, nationalism, and social wellbeing) must be implemented on the mainland at the earliest possible date.