Victims From Burma
Nine Chinese families uprooted by Burma's nationalization of alien businesses moved to Taiwan for resettlement in mid-August. The group of 26 came under auspices of the Free China Relief Association.
One victim, Yang Chung-hsiung, said Burma shut down all business owned by overseas Chinese. His father, once a successful businessman, was jailed and then deported on false charges of hoarding.
The Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission gave NT$1,000 to each adult and NT$500 to each child in the group as emergency relief.
At a reception in honor of the group, OCAC Acting Chairman Ho Yi-wu promised the refugees would be helped to find employment. He said a farm technical group will go to northern Thailand, where large numbers of Chinese refugees from Burma are marooned, to help reclaim wasteland for farming.
Literary Awards
The Federation of Overseas Chinese Associations has established the Overseas Chinese Literary Awards for promotion of writing among Chinese youths abroad.
Applications closed September 21. Manuscripts were sent to the Federation in Taipei.
Japan
Call for Unity
Presidential Secretary General Chang Chun has called on Chinese residents in Japan to strengthen their unity against Peiping's designs to drive a wedge between them and the Republic of China.
The Chinese statesman spoke to some 300 Chinese community leaders at a dinner given in his honor by Lin Yi-wan, president of the Chinese Overseas Association in Japan, on August 17.
He also urged Chinese residents to oppose Chinese Communist economic infiltration in Japan. He said that while leaders in Taipei and Tokyo are working for closer cooperation, the Chinese Communists are conspiring to pull them apart.
Overseas Chinese support will be a cornerstone in the retaking of the mainland, he said.
Korea
Land Reclamation
A Catholic relief organization in Pusan has announced its readiness to help overseas Chinese reclaim wasteland for farming in coordination with Korea's five-year plan for rural economic reconstruction.
The organization will provide loans and implements to farmers engaged in land reclamation. In the first three years, they will be paid wages and living allowances.
Hongkong
Educational Standards
Dr. Li Choh-ming, Vice Chancellor of the Chinese University in Hongkong, invited 10 principals of secondary Chinese schools to an informal discussion in September.
The purpose was to foster closer cooperation for promotion of higher educational standards. Subjects included standardization of the curriculum for secondary Chinese schools and university entrance requirements.
Principals were from Tak Ming College, Yuen Long Middle School, Heep Yun, and other schools.
Philippines
Chinese School
Dr. Jesus E. Perinan, director of the Bureau of Private, Schools of the Education Department, has said existence of Chinese schools in the Philippines is authorized by bilateral agreement between the Philippines and the Republic of China.
Speaking on a proposal to close the Chinese schools, he said he could not ignore the agreement which allows Chinese nationals to operate schools in the Philippines.
But the Manila Times reported that Director Perinan advocated the "adoption of a pure Filipino curriculum among Chinese schools, making Chinese only a language subject." He said he does not believe in "second-class citizens and that naturalized Filipinos are as good as natural born depending on how they are brought up. "
Testifying before the Senate committee on labor and immigration on August 12, Dr. Perinan said he was against drastic steps to close the Chinese schools.
Overall Policy
Foreign Secretary Mauro Mendez told a press conference August 28 that the Philippine government is going to formulate an overall policy regarding the Chinese community in the Philippines.
He said that the Departments of Education, Justice, and Foreign Affairs soon will hold a conference to work out a policy covering such problems as schools and overstaying Chinese. The proposed policy will be presented to the cabinet.
Asked to comment on a Manila Times report that Minister Sieon Roxas, legal officer of the Foreign Office, has favored abrogation of the Sino-Philippine treaty of amity, Secretary Mendez said that would be a personal opinion held by Roxas. It is understood that Roxas voiced his opinion at a recent Senate hearing on the Chinese school issue.
Magsaysay Awards
Two Chinese and four other Asians received 1964 Raman Magsaysay Awards August 31 in Manila.
The Chinese are Catholic Father Augustine Nguyen Loc Hoa of South Vietnam and Kayser Sung, publisher and managing editor of the Far East Economic Review in Hongkong.
Father Nguyen was honored for public service in recognition of his extraordinary valor in leading the Vietnamese people in resistance to Communist tyranny. Sung shared the award for journalism and literature with Richard G. Wilson, editor of his magazine.
Laos
Visitors From Laos
The Chinese community in neutral Laos sent a group of 63 young people to Taiwan for a three-week visit during the summer vacation. Red China's "embassy" in Vientiane receives little support from the Chinese of Laos.
After return to the Laotian capital, the group's leader, Tsai Tien-hsing, praised gree China for having made striking progress in all fields of reconstruction. He said that the youngsters appreciated the opportunity to see for themselves the advances that freedom makes possible.
Malaysia
Renewal of Rioting
Most of the Chinese youths in Laos plan to pursue advanced studies in Taiwan.
Malay-Chinese racial clashes flared again in Singapore September 2-3, killing 8 persons and injuring 50. The government moved in additional troops and police and imposed a curfew.
Malaysian Prime Miniter Tengku Abdul Rahman in a radio broadcast September 4 blamed Indonesia for the new riots.
He said Sukarno, using political agitators, is trying to create trouble and break up Malaysia.
He said it was significant that the Singapore flare-up coincided with the dropping of Indonesian paratroops in southern Malaya and came just after celebration of Malaysia's first anniversary.
Minister of Home Affairs Ismail Bin Abdul Rahman signed a decree giving the Singapore government full powers to deal with any situation that might arise in riottorn Singapore.
It was Singapore's second bloodbath in two months. In late July, 23 persons were killed and some 460 injured in violent clashes.
New Chief for Nanyang
The Nanyang University in Singapore has offered its top post to Dr. Chien Mu, who recently resigned as head of the New Asia College. Dr. Chien is expected to accept.
A scholar in Chinese history, 69-year-old Dr. Chien went to Hongkong from Canton in 1949 and founded the New Asia College with four others. His works are used as text books in many Chinese schools.
Students to Taiwan
Thirty-six Chinese students left Singapore for Taiwan in mid-August to attend college.
With the help of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission, they were admitted to the National. Taiwan, National Cheng Chi, and Provincial Cheng Kung Universities.
Indonesia
Sukarno's Remarks
President Sukarno said on August 31 that the establishment of Malaysia was aimed at giving Malays voting superiority over the Federation's Chinese residents. His remarks coincided with the first anniversary of Malaysia, which Indonesia has vowed to crush.
Sukarno said: "It is clear that the purpose of the federation is to outvote the Chinese. The Chinese residents of Singapore should fully realize the bad intentions of the Malaysian Federation and should stop aiding the neo-colonialist project which is attempting to suppress them."
The official news agency Antra quoted Sukarno as saying he had advised Rahman on the Indonesian way to settle the "Chinese problem" through integration and assimilation.
Chinese leaders in Singapore noted that Sukarno was practicing "neo-colonialism" in West New Guinea and pursuing a policy of territorial expansion against neighboring countries. Sukarno has deported large numbers of Chinese and persecuted those remaining in Indonesia.
Sukarno's remarks appeared connected with the rekindling of racial clashes in Singapore.
Australia
Deportation Order
A Chinese whose marriage to an Australian woman was a sham could not claim he had been absorbed into the Australian community, Justice McClemens of the Supreme Court declared August 12.
He refused to grant an order for habeas corpus sought by Lee Yum-bo, 25, a cook of suburban Kingsford, and found that a deportation order against him was valid.
Lee arrived in Australia as a student in January, 1960, and was arrested by immigration officers on July 14 this year. Justice McClemens said Lee "went through a form of marriage" with an Australian girl, Lois Plummer, in June, 1960.
According to the Justice's findings, the marriage was undertaken without the intention of living together, making a home or having a family. Mr. McClemens said: "I find as a fact that this wedding ceremony was a sham."
United States
Birthday Celebration
A group of American citizens of Chinese origin joined 17 other ethnic groups in celebrating the 56th birthday of President Lyndon Johnson August 27 at the National Democratic Convention in Atlantic City.
The Chinese group held high a poster bearing birthday greetings in Chinese characters. The traditional lion dance was performed at the oceanside boardwalk.
Miss Republic of China Chao Ling-yu, who took part in the international beauty contest at Long Beach, was delegated by the Chinese community to extend best wishes to the American president. She did so and shook hands with President Johnson.
Canada
Amnesty Prolonged
Canadian Immigration Minister Rene Tremblay announced August 21 that the amnesty period for illegal Chinese immigrants to declare themselves and become legal residents would be prolonged beyond the September 1 deadline,
The amnesty was offered in 1960 when the Conservative government said it had broken a ring which smuggled between 6,000 and 9,000 Chinese into Canada, mainly from Hongkong. Under its terms, Chinese illegally in Canada are allowed to stay provided they announce themselves to authorities.
Tremblay said September 1 was selected as the deadline because it was felt all remaining illegal residents would have time to clear themselves by then. The House of Commons protested against the deadline.
New Immigration
Statute Meanwhile, the Canadian Parliament has revised the statute governing the immigration of Chinese in order to relax restrictions.
Chinese nationals may apply for immigration to reunite with their families in Canada. Chinese residing in Canada may also apply for entry of prospective wives or husbands.
According to the Immigration Bureau, 1,187 Chinese nationals immigrated into Canada in 1963.
Venezuela
Kao Hsin's Visits
Kao Hsin, chairman of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission, visited Venezuela August 26-28 in the course of his tour of Chinese communities in South America.
He was welcomed by Chinese residents in Caracas, Maracaibo, and other cities. From Venezuela, he proceeded to Jamaica. He had toured Chinese communities in the United States and Canada from mid-June to late August.