"No substantive consideration" is given any such moves in view of the "current tide of international appeasement," the Cabinet said in a written reply to Legislator Wu Wang-chi.
As to the secret diplomacy between Dr. Henry Kissinger, President Nixon's national security adviser, and the Chinese Communists, the Cabinet said the government has time and again declared it will consider null and void any agreement signed with the Communist regime that is detrimental to the interests of the Republic of China and the Chinese people.
Foreign Minister Shen Chang-huan said the Republic of China will try to keep "substantial relations" with countries with which she maintains no diplomatic ties.
Testifying before the Legislative Yuan Foreign Relations Committee, Shen said Taipei will "try to keep bilateral relations in substance with countries with which we have suspended diplomatic relations." Relations in substance were defined as economic, trade and cultural ties.
He said the world situation was unfavorable to the Republic of China but that it was time to launch "total diplomacy" to help stabilize anti-Communist forces in Southeast Asia.
He said the Republic of China will recognize and establish diplomatic relations with newly independent nations and continue its struggle against the Chinese Communists in Africa and Central and South America.
Taipei will step up cooperation with nations with which it has no diplomatic relations.
Ambassador to Washington James Shen reiterated this policy in addressing a dinner meeting of the New York state branch of the Sons of the American Revolution at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
He declared: "We have no intention to reach any accommodation with the Chinese Communists. If they should try to subvert or conquer us by force, we are prepared to fight in order to defend what we have built up and our way of life. In the interest of peace and human freedom, we hope our allies will be true to their commitment and stand by us."
The Republic of China and the Khmer Republic concluded in Phnom Penh an agreement to promote cultural, educational and scientific cooperation.
The accord was signed by Tung Tsung-san, director of the Chinese Mission in Phnom Penh, and Cambodian Foreign Minister Long Boret. The countries will strengthen exchange and dissemination of books, periodicals and other publications.
The agreement encourages exchange visits by professors, students and personnel from the fields of science, education and culture.
A forum on U.S.-China relations was held May 5 at the Chinese Cultural Center under the sponsorship of the Institute of Chinese Culture. Dr. Cheng Chi-pao, acting president of the Institute, said the forum would attempt to define "the basis and guiding policy of the United States in her relations with China and particularly in her approach to Peiping."
Cheng said that no matter what the United States did in appeasing the Chinese Communists, Peiping's goal of world domination would remain unchanged. He expressed hope the forum would help Americans realize the menace of the Peiping regime.
Former Representative Walter Judd regretted that the Nixon administration had changed America's long-held policy of containing Peiping and said that policy was "extraordinarily successful." He said he feared the loss of free Asia to Communism.
Professor David Rowe of Yale University said the Republic of China should further build up its military strength. In the final analysis, only military strength can sustain the Republic of China against Peiping's assault, he said.
Professor Frank Trager of New York University discussed impact of the Nixon administration's China policy on other non-Communist Asian countries.
In stepping up Sino-American economic and trade relations, the Republic of China signed a contract to participate in the Expo 74 world exhibition at Spokane, Washington, for 184 days starting May 1.
The 11,100-foot site of the Chinese pavilion will be near the center of the exhibition. Exhibits will show the economic growth and living standard of the Republic of China. A movie on Chinese progress and prosperity will be screened 36 times a day.
The exhibition preparatory committee suggested that Chinese restaurants and handicraft shops be set up at the pavilion. Members of the committee are from the Ministry of Economic Affairs, Bureau of Cultural Affairs, Ministry of Education, Tourism Bureau of the Ministry of Communications, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and China External Trade Development Council.
Estimated cost of participation is US$1.6 million.
From September 28, Confucius birthday, to October 10, China Day, special shows will be staged.
Kung Teh-cheng, 77th generation lineal descendant of Confucius, and other scholars will be invited to deliver lectures and conduct seminars on Confucianism.
The Republic of China is also seeking closer economic relations with Central and South American countries. Diplomatic relations are maintained with 15 Latin American countries.
El Salvador will continue to maintain friendly relations with the Republic of China, Salvadoran Defense Minister Carlos Humberto Romero said during his visit to Taiwan. He expressed hope military cooperation between the countries could also be strengthened.
Paraguayan Foreign Minister Dr. Raul Sapena Pastor assured Chinese Chief of the General Staff Gen. Lai Ming-tang that his government would never change its policy of supporting the Republic of China.
He said: "We firmly support the Republic of China in every international field. We are fraternal countries and maintain the same ideas of freedom, democracy and peace." Sapena also expressed great admiration for President Chiang Kai-shek.
"Saudi Arabia will help promote the sale of Taiwan-made products in the Middle East," Mohamed Ali Al-Awdi, minister of commerce and industry of Saudi Arabia, said in Taipei.
Two-way trade between the two countries amounted to more than NT$65 million in 1972 with Saudi Arabia enjoying a large favorable balance. Taiwan exported US$18,892,368 worth of rubber shoes, electrical appliances, cement, construction materials and electronic products. Imports from Saudi Arabia, mostly crude oil, totaled US$46,414,208.
The Republic of China reached agreement with Saudi Arabia May 8 under which Taiwan will send specialists to help the Middle East kingdom develop its industry and agriculture. Taiwan will help train Saudi Arabian power technicians.
Economic Affairs Minister Y.S. Sun and Minister Al-Awadi signed the agreement May 8.
The accord also touched on the possibility of cooperation in oil refining and the petrochemical industry. Taiwan will consider expanding its farm demonstration team in Saudi Arabia.
The Republic of China will hold trade fairs in the Saudi Arabian cities of Jidda, Damman and Riyadh.
The Republic of China has never relaxed its efforts to win friendship in Africa, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said.
Rear Adm. Liu Hoh-tu, spokesman for the Foreign Ministry, said 13 African countries have diplomatic relations with the Republic of China.
The admiral attributed Communist gains in Africa to check-book diplomacy and changes in the international situation following the ROC withdrawal from the United Nations and President Richard Nixon's trip to Peiping.
Togo, Malagasy, Chad, Dahomey and Zaire, which have switched diplomatic recognition to Peiping in the last year, received promises of massive economic aid from Peiping. Togo and Dahomey were promised US$40 million each although their populations are small.
Twelve free Chinese agricultural teams with 562 technicians are still working in Africa.
In addition, there are two medical teams, a handicraft team, a seed team and assorted engineering experts and other specialists. The Republic of China is encouraging Taiwan businessmen to invest in Africa and offer technical assistance.
Free China will strengthen friendship with Africa through exchange of visits. Vice Foreign Minister Yang Hsi-kun, an old African hand, was visiting Africa in June.
Taiwan will take part in the 19th Cyprus International Trade Fair at Nicosia September 1-24.
Cyprus is a potential market for Taiwan textiles, electronic products, motorcycles, bicycles, furniture, handicrafts and foods.
A 15-man Chinese mission headed by Chu Teh-shiu, board chairman of Hsin Yuan Trading Company of Taipei, arrived in Rome on a trade promotion visit.
The mission was organized by the Importers and Exporters' Association of Taipei.
Assisted by Wan Ken-nien, director of the Milan-based Commercial Center of the Republic of China in Italy, members of the mission met with leading Italian industrialists to discuss possible purchase of Italian machinery.
The First Chinese Display Center in Rome was opened to show goods ranging from classical furniture to reproductions of Chinese paintings.
The center is operated by Wang Chue, a Chinese movie actor in Italy.
The Republic of China's trade promotion efforts are coupled with measures taken by the Ministry of Finance and the Central Bank to stabilize the economy in the wake of international monetary realignment and the rapid accumulation of foreign exchange.
These measures were taken with due consideration to economic development, Vice President Yen told a group of bank officials.
"We should not achieve economic stability at the expense of economic growth," he said. "Conversely, neither can we ignore stability in our eagerness to push economic development."
Stability and development, he said, are closely related. "Real and substantial development can be achieved only on a basis of economic stability which in turn depends on accelerated development."
He described the fiscal measures being adopted as "sound and necessary."
Official tabulation listed trade volume for the first quarter of 1973 at US$1,438,600,000, a gain of 30.5 per cent compared with the like period last year.
Exports were US$826,100,000 and imports US$612,500,000. Exports rose by 44.4 per cent and imports by 16.3 per cent compared with the corresponding 1972 period.
Industrial production for March was 24.24 above that of February. The growth rate was 27.23 compared with March of 1972. There was a slight drop in March retail prices as the result of anti-inflationary measures.
Taipei retail prices dropped 1.24 per cent in March compared with the previous month. Taiwan province retail prices registered a decline of 0.31.
Wholesale prices for the entire Taiwan area rose 1 per cent in March.
The urban retail price index for March was 130.81 (1966=100), according to the Directorate-General of Budget, Accounting and Statistics of the Executive Yuan.
The price of food was 137.88, down 1.69 compared with February and up 4.30 over March of last year.
The price of clothing was 119.18, up 6.37 over February and up 19.12 over March of last year.
Housing stood at 124.77, up 0.81 over February and 3.44 over March of last year.
Plans are under way to set up a worldwide sales network to boost Taiwan exports. The project will be completed in five to ten years.
Prominent local traders will be encouraged to establish big companies and open branches overseas.
Trade between Japan and the ROC is increasing despite the absence of diplomatic relations.
Japan exported US$257 million worth of goods to Taiwan during the first three months of 1973, up 20 per cent from the 1972 period. Japan's imports from Taiwan during the same period increased 2.2 times to $144 million.
Japanese imports from Taiwan totaled $406 million last year, up 52.1 per cent from 1971. Exports were $1,080 million, up 40.9 per cent.
Industrial technology and facilities in the Republic of China compare with those of the United States in the 19th century.
This appraisal was made by Sun I-hsuan, director of the Central Trust of China, in a speech to the local business community.
Sun toured the United States as the head of a Chinese trade and investment mission.
"For all the advances we have made so far," Sun said, "our technology and facilities for industrial production are little better than those in the United States at the end of the last century."
He urged the local business community to adopt American technical and managerial know-how as well as American equipment for accelerated modernization.
He said American businessmen are willing to invest in Taiwan because of low labor costs and other incentives.
"A marriage of American technology and our low-cost labor will be an arrangement advantageous to both sides," Sun said.
Sun described the United States as a good market and Americans as ideal trade partners. He urged businessmen to deal directly with their American counterparts instead of through the hands of middlemen.
He advocated tight quality control. "If you want to have a large market for your products in the United States," he said, "the first requirement is that your goods be of superior quality.
"You must have long-term plans," he said. "Don't spare a single chance for the introduction of new technology or improvement of production capability.
Farsighted entrepreneurs do not withhold money needed for advertising, market surveys and other sales promotion expenses, he said.
He also disclosed that the Republic of China's efforts to diversify overseas purchases have been successful.
Japan used to supply 50 per cent of CTC purchases. After the rupture of diplomatic ties between Taipei and Tokyo, CTC purchases from Japan dropped to 30.1 per cent in a few months.
In the first three months of 1973, Sun said, CTC purchases in Japan dropped to 13.59 per cent of overseas procurements, amounting to US$7,35 1,000.
Sun attributed the sharp reduction to the government ruling that capital equipment worth more than US$20,000 must be bought from countries other than Japan.
He said CTC purchases are made in more than 40 countries and areas of the world.
Y.T. Wong, director-general of the Board of Foreign Trade, said the government is encouraging importers to switch machinery orders from Japan to the United States to help reduce America's US$450 million trade deficit with the ROC.
"Of course Japan will reduce prices in an effort to keep the business," he said. "Success depends on how aggressively U.S. suppliers compete. If there is too great a difference in price or quality is sufficiently superior to offset the price differential, I don't think we can ask importers to shift their buying.
Wong headed a 12-man trade mission authorized to buy US$400 million worth of U.S. goods annually over and above the present $2 billion trade volume between the two countries. He announced the mission signed four agreements with nine U.S. grain suppliers for $800 million worth of soybeans, corn, wheat and barley over the next three years. Grain to be supplied during the three-year period comes to 5,500,000 metric tons.
The mission visited Washington, Chicago, Memphis, Dallas, Phoenix, Los Angeles and New York. Also purchased were cotton, plastics, steel products, construction materials and telephone equipment worth US$230 million this year and US$290 million in 1974.
More than half of goods from Taiwan's three export processing zones go to the United States. The Ministry of Economic Affairs said US$35.53 million worth of products were exported to the United States from the EPZs at Kaohsiung, Nantzu and Taichung in the first quarter of this year. Total exports were US$71 million in the first three months of this year. Electronic products led the way.
A spokesman for the Taiwan Export Processing Administration said electrical machinery apparatus exports totaled US$36.3 million with this breakdown: Kaohsiung, US$30.45 million; Taichung, US$4.15 million; Nantzu, US$1.69 million.
Other leaders were garments and plastic and leather products.
Hongkong was the second largest market with purchases of US$5.88 million. Japan ranked third at US$5.5 million followed by West Germany at US$5.23 million.
More than half of imports came from Japan. Volume was US$31.2 million of US$60.1 million in the first quarter. Hongkong supplied US$5 million worth of imports and the United States US$3.99 million worth.
EPZ factories number 233 with capital of US$84 million. Sixty investments are domestic. Thirty are from overseas Chinese, 57 from Japanese and 20 from other foreigners. The remaining 57 are joint ventures.
The first EPZ was established at the southern port city of Kaohsiung in December of 1966. Zones incorporate the advantages of a free trade zone and an industrial park. They facilitate investment by providing developed plant sites and tax incentives, promote the processing of imported raw materials for export, create employment opportunities and introduce new production techniques along with the inflow of overseas capital.
Export of industrial products during the first two months of 1973 scored a rise of 49.5 per cent compared with the like period last year, the Industrial Development Bureau of Ministry of Economic Affairs reported.
The bureau listed industrial exports for the January-February period at US$472,100,000. Heavy and petrochemical industrial products registered the sharpest rise to US$138,400,000, representing growth of 75.1 per cent.
Light industrial exports amounted to US$283,700,000, up 36.3 per cent over the corresponding months of 1972. Miscellaneous industrial products totaled US$48,300,000, nearly double the comparable 1972 figure.
The Chinese Petroleum Corporation earned US$39,893,000 in foreign exchange last year. The government-owned monopoly exported products worth US$10,145,000 and had "sales in foreign currency" totaling US$29,748,000.
Sales in foreign currency included:
- Fuel for oceangoing craft, 230,000 kiloliters worth US$6 million.
- Fuel for aircraft, 170,000 kiloliters worth US$5.5 million.
- Petroleum supplies for U.S. forces in Taiwan, US$18 million.
Industrial statistics of the Taiwan Provincial Government showed 24,893 factories in Taiwan as of the end of last year.
With investment of NT$16,681,680,000 (US$439 million), they employed 948,400 workers.
There were 4,291 food processors, 2,554 metal factories, 1,959 sawmills, 1,897 textile plants, 1,552 non-metal manufacturers, 975 electrical appliance makers, 794 garment factories, 534 manufacturers of transportation equipment, 488 rubber plants, 424 paper mills and 309 machine makers.
Investments in economic development will register NT$48.9 billion (US$1,286,842,000) this year on 103 projects ranging from low-cost housing to an integrated steel mill.
Under the Sixth Four-Year Economic Development Plan which got under way this year, the Republic of China will continue to build its first integrated steel mill at Kaohsiung.
When first-phase construction is completed in 1976, the mill is expected to have annual capacity of 1.3 million tons of steel.
Voest of Austria is providing technical as well as financial assistance.
Chinese plastics tycoon Y.C. Wang and other businessmen are preparing to invest US$600 million to produce fiber and plastic raw materials from petrochemicals.
The plants will be built in a petrochemical industrial zone in southern Taiwan.
The final products will be used as resins, plastics, fertilizers, solvents, beverages, MSG, acrylic fibers, synthetic rubber, plasticizers, detergents and man-made fibers.
The Ministry of Economic Affairs approved 13 applications for investment and technical cooperation by foreigners and overseas Chinese.
Among foreign companies were Aso Toam Crete Company of Japan; Gat Oswego Corporation, Consolidated Navigation Corporation and Camerona Navigation Corporation, all of Liberia; U.S. Associated Maritime Industries Inc.; U.S. Clinton Electronics Corporation; U.S. IBM; and the Japanese Mikasa Chemical Industry Company.
The Economic Ministry decided that foreign loans remitted to Taiwan for investment must be used for import of machinery and facilities.
The decision prohibits change of foreign loans into local currency for use as operating funds.
A spokesman for the ministry said the decision was made in line with the government's newly adopted policy of tightening the money supply to combat inflation.
The ministry also stipulated that loan conditions must be easier than those of loans available from the Central Bank of China.
The government may borrow up to US$2 billion from foreign banking institutions to finance economic development.
The Legislative Yuan approved the Cabinet's request to raise the ceiling on foreign loans from US$1 billion.
The legislature agreed the nation needs foreign loans for the import of heavy industrial equipment and the introduction of know-how.
Up to March, 1973, the ROC had borrowed US$900,000,000 abroad. Between now and 1976 the government and private industries will require US$920,000,000 in new foreign credits. US$80,000,000 worth of foreign debts will be retired in the same period.
The U.S. Export-Import Bank announced it would help finance US$25 million worth of U.S. equipment for a petroleum refinery in Taiwan.
The bank authorized a direct loan of US$11,250,000 to finance 45 per cent of the U.S. dollar cost and guarantee of a loan of the same amount from the Bankers Trust Company of New York.
The Chinese Petroleum Corporation will provide US$2.5 million to pay 10 per cent of the U.S. costs.
An Export-Import Bank loan of US$3,307,500 was made to the Tungtex Fiber Company Ltd. of Taiwan for a polyester filament yarn plant. If requested, Ex-Im Bank will provide the financial guarantee for a similar amount from private sources.
The US$23.6 million plant will be located in Jen-te Hsiang, Tainan. Tungtex will make a cash payment of US$735,000 toward the US$7,350,000 worth of U.S. equipment and services.
Loans will be repaid in 16 semiannual installments beginning September 10, 1975, at interest of 6 per cent annually.
Governor K.H. Yu of the Central Bank of China, who headed the ROC delegation to the Asian Development Bank meeting in the Philippines, said ADB had approved loans totaling US$92 million to the Republic of China, mainly for highways, power generation and shipbuilding.
Forty-one per cent of ADB loans has been used. The remainder will be advanced project by project.
The ADB meeting frustrated Chinese Communist-inspired efforts to expel the Republic of China. He said most delegates took the view that the Asian Development Bank was an economic organization which should not be concerned with politics.
Minister of Communications Henry Kao said transportation policy would emphasize building up of the transport network, increasing capital investment and enlargement of carrying capacity.
He listed these transportation projects under the current sixth Four-Year Economic Development Plan:
- North-South Freeway Construction. The 373.5-kilometer highway from Keelung to Fengshan in Kaohsiung County is being built in three stages.
- Electrification of the western trunk railway line.
- Building of an east coast railway to link Suao in the north with Hualien.
- Construction of Taichung International Port.
- Construction of Taoyuan International Airport.
Transportation grew at an average rate of 10.8 per cent from 1953 to 1970. Industrial growth averaged 14.2 per cent for the same period.
Inadequate design and poor engineering have created traffic safety problems in Taiwan, he said. Except for some of the streets in the big cities, "the level of service of western arteries is low."
Kao said the government is taking these steps to improve traffic conditions:
- Promoting activities of the National Traffic Safety Council.
- Improving road construction and traffic facilities.
- Streamlining highway supervision responsibilities, including driving license tests and vehicle inspection.
- Revision and enforcement of traffic laws.
- Improvement of traffic education and training.
Kao said harbor construction has been slow. Congestion has hurt exports.
Domestic air service declined because of the shortage of planes, he reported. China Air Lines increased domestic flights beginning April 22. CAL bought an additional Caravelle for service on Taipei-Kaohsiung and Taipei-Hualien routes.
CAL has two Caravelles and a YS-11 in domestic service. Taipei-Kaohsiung flights have been increased from six to eight and Taipei-Hualien service from four to ten flights daily.
Four Boeing 707s are in CAL's international service and two more will be added this year for flights to the U.S. west coast.
Passenger volume has been increasing by 13 per cent annually. Planes are flying 82 per cent full.
The Far Eastern Air Transport Corp. has adjusted its domestic schedules.
Of railway transportation, Kao said: "The lack of capital investment has led to a shortage of equipment and kept speeds low."
Rail electrification has met with difficulties because of rising costs. The Executive Yuan told the Legislative Yuan that the project was estimated to cost NT$5,836 million as of 1970. This is no longer sufficient.
The government is inviting new tenders through the Central Trust of China. The original plan to solicit loans from a four-nation European consortium has been discarded.
Some lawmakers voiced the view that electrification could be postponed because the North-South Freeway will greatly increase land transportation facility.
The Taiwan Railway Administration decided to allocate NT$200 million for electrification in the 1973-74 budget.
The Council for International Economic Cooperation and Development reported work on the 24.6-mile Keelung- Yangmei section of the North-South Freeway will be 80 per cent complete by the end of this year.
Major economic projects to be completed this year include installation of two generating units with capacity of 875,000 kilowatts at the Talin thermal power station in southern Taiwan, three generating units with capacity of 234,000 kilowatts at the Tachien hydroelectric plant in central Taiwan and completion of an automobile plant with an annual capacity of 12,300 units and 25,000 engines.
Continuing projects will be a second naphtha cracking plant with annual capacity of 230,000 metric tons of ethylene, a bagasse factory with daily capacity of 300 tons, polyester plant with daily capacity of 90 metric tons, expansion of the Taiwan Aluminum Corporation plant in Kaohsiung, construction of the integrated steel mill, acquisition of land for the new Taoyuan International Airport, opening of the second harbor entrance at Kaohsiung and groundwork for the Taichung International Harbor.
Projects in the planning stage include a third naphtha cracking plant in Pingtung to be completed in three years to serve the textile and plastics industries. The US$50 million plant will produce 350,000 to 400,000 metric tons of ethylene annually.
A petrochemical industrial park is under construction at Pingtung, 16 miles west of Kaohsiung, where the first naphtha cracking plant is in operation.
On the agriculture front, the Legislative Yuan approved a special budget of NT$2 billion for the two-year rural reconstruction program which began this year.
NT$875 million will be spent for public utilities in rural areas, NT$60 million for improvement of transportation and marketing, NT$202 million for promotion of modern farming, NT$595 million for establishment of special crop zones, NT$152 million for research and promotion, NT$16 million for processing plants and NT$80 million for reserve.
Seventy-three projects had been launched up to the end of last March. The government granted NT$528,773,000 in subsidies.
Chinese and American businessmen signed three-year contracts for 5.5 million tons of U.S. feed grain. The four agreements were signed with nine suppliers for US$800 million worth of grain.
The Joint Commission on Rural Reconstruction decided to loan US$918,736 to the Taiwan Provincial Farmers' Association for the construction of a plant to turn out 600 tons of feed for pigs daily.
Taiwan raises 5,630,000 pigs a year for domestic consumption and export. Japan buys 400,000 Taiwan porkers annually.
The Taiwan Provincial Government is appropriating NT$5,500 million to help accelerate the rural economy. The money will be loaned to agricultural organizations and farmers through the Land Bank of Taiwan beginning July 1.
A total of NT$1,750 million will be designated as loans to finance agricultural production.
The other loans will be for:
- Land consolidation and improvement: NT$1,250 million.
- Agricultural processing and transportation: NT$350 million.
- Farmers' Association fund: NT$200 million.
- Fisheries: NT$800 million.
- Water conservancy: NT$850 million.
- Purchase of land by tillers: NT$350 million.
Transportation and marketing of vegetables for Taipei during the summer was taken over by the Taipei City Government and the Takiwan Provincial Farmers' Association June 10. Some 200,000 kilograms of vegetables will be sent to Taipei daily.
Vegetables will be graded and auctioned to wholesalers in Taipei at the newly constructed Huachiang market.
The Farmers' Association will keep truck farmers informed of Taipei market needs with a view to regulating supply.
A three-story Plant Protection Center, a newly developed research institute, is being built at Wantouliu in Taichung county.
PPC has five divisions: plant pathology, entomology, insect toxicology, plant physiology and pesticide residue.
The pesticide residue division began operations a year ago to survey residual pesticides in rice field soils, residual mercury levels, insecticide content of asparagus and pesticide residues in mushrooms.
Exports of citrus fruits totaled 2,332,012 cartons worth US$5.83 million in the 1972-1973 crop year ended March 25. The Taiwan Provincial Federation of Fruits Marketing Cooperatives said Hongkong imported 1,420,000 cartons, Singapore and Malaysia 740,000 cartons and Japan 102,000 cartons.
Canada and the Philippines also imported citrus fruits from Taiwan.
This year's first harvest of rice will receive a hand from 107,900 servicemen. They will work for 20 days.
"We will offer 2,158,000 man-days of service to farmers who need help," General Li Chang-hao of the Ministry of National Defense said.
Troops are expected to help on 114,350 hectares of paddies.
General Li said troops on the offshore islands of Kinmen and Matsu will help transport 2,400 metric tons of chemical fertilizers for farmers.
Health insurance for about 200,000 farmers will be provided by the Taiwan Provincial Government on a trial basis.
TPG will spend NT$295.21 million for the improvement of environmental sanitation. The program includes improvement of water supplies to rural areas, disposal of waste and night-soil, improvement of environmental sanitation in public places, strengthening of air pollution controls, prevention of water pollution, establishment of public wells and toilets, and elimination of cockroaches.
The Taiwan Provincial Government will contribute NT$18 million, local governments NT$225 million, social welfare funds NT$49.25 million and Sino-American funds NT$2.3 million.
Tsengwen Dam and Reservoir, Taiwan's biggest, started storing water April 28, five months ahead of schedule. Located on the upper reaches of the Tsengwen River in southwestern Taiwan, the reservoir is beginning irrigation service this month.
According to the original plan, Tsengwen was expected to start storing water September 30.
Construction of the NT$3.7 billion (US$97,373,000) project started in 1967 and is 96 per cent complete, including the 235-meter earth and rock dam and concrete spillway.
The Retired Servicemen's Engineering Agency carried out the project, which will provide irrigation water for 85,424 hectares of farmland of the Chiayi-Tainan plain along the southwestern coast of Taiwan.
Biggest dam of its kind in the Far East, Tsengwen will store 708,000,000 cubic meters of water. It has a surface area of 17 square kilometers. Other functions will be hydroelectric generation, water supply and flood control.
The power station has a 50,000-kilowatt generator. Water supply will be worth NT$38,900,000 (US$1.2 million) a year.
Storage of water five months ahead of schedule will bring NT$400 million (US$10.5 million) in additional benefits from irrigation and increased water supply. Annual benefits will be NT$472,600,000 (US$12,437,000).
RSEA will build Taichung Harbor, Taiwan's fourth international seaport.
The port is expected to be completed by 1982 at a cost of NT$7.9 billion (US$207,894,930). It will handle 12 million tons of cargo a year.
In Taipei an NT$42 million flood control project has raised the height of dikes along the Tamsui River on the western side of the city. Dikes 3,700 meters long were heightened by from 1 to 1.9 meters. Heights now reach 6 to 7 meters.
Chang Chin-yuan, director of the Taipei Environmental Sanitation Department, reported vehicular and air traffic is adding to pollution caused by industrial and residential sources.
It is estimated that each household in Taipei spends NT$100 a month on laundry as a result of atmospheric pollution. The city has 300,000 households.
Twelve check points and a mobile monitoring unit have been established to measure air pollution.
Chang concluded that the concentration of suspended particles is moderate and the level of poisonous gas insignificant. But he warned: "This concentration will build up and become serious in the near future if preventive measures are not undertaken."
He suggested the following measures:
- Discourage immigration from suburban areas.
- Avoid conditions which will create air pollution problems.
- Urge the Central Government to promulgate a nationwide air pollution control policy.
- Undertake technical studies to improve combustion equipment and recommend the replacement of equipment by polluting industries.
- Lay all-weather surfaces on streets and lanes and improve traffic control.
- Expand the air pollution monitoring system.
- Regulate the use and operation of motor vehicles and trains to reduce exhaust pollutants.
- Continue the prohibition on sale and use of soft coal and other fuels which emit too much smoke.
- Promote the development of liquid gas and natural gas and the electrification of railways.
- Initiate a training program for air pollution technicians and set up fellowships for study abroad.
Taipei's ground is sinking a little more slowly as the result of the partial ban on use of ground water.
In the last nine months, the ground under the heart of the city sank 8 to 10 centimeters (3.2 to 4 inches). It sank at an average annual rate of 29 centimeters (nearly 1 foot) in the past.
No wells have been drilled in the Greater Taipei area since 1971.
Street accidents have been reduced significantly in Taipei since start of a traffic safety campaign April 1. Serious accidents averaged 2.9 daily in the first three weeks of April compared with 4.7 daily in March.
Police reported there are an average of 2,000 traffic offenses daily in Taipei.
The Taipei City Government designated eight hospitals to take care of emergency cases. The Police Department will have the responsibility for transportation.
Police were told to prepare ambulances, first-aid facilities and trained personnel for around-the-clock service.
Hospitals designated for emergency service are the Chung Hsing Hospital (Tatung, Yenping and Chiencheng Districts), Jen Ai Hospital (Ta-an and Musa Districts), National Taiwan University Hospital (Lungshan and Chengchung Districts), MacKay Memorial Hospital (Chungshan and Neihu Districts), Taiwan Sanitarium and Hospital (Sungshan and Nankang Districts), Hoping Hospital (Kuting, Shuangyuan and Chingmei Districts), Contagious Disease Control Center (contagious diseases) and Veterans General Hospital (Peitou and Shihlin Districts).
Eight hundred and forty-nine members of 20 county and city councils have been sworn in. Kuomintang nominees were elected speakers and deputy speakers.
The 849 were elected March 17 from among 1,494 candidates. The 850th, Yen Ming-sheng of Kaohsiung City, was convicted of corruption and disqualified.
Four provincial-level agencies - the Bureau of Weights and Measures, Water Pollution Prevention Commission, Taipei Area Flood Prevention Planning Committee and Serum Research Institute - will be transferred to the Central Government in line with the program of streamlining the government structure.
Government employees will receive a 20 per cent pay raise beginning July 1. NT$3 billion (US$38.9 million) has been budgeted for the boost, which goes to servicemen as well as civil servants.
Top-ranking government officials, including Cabinet ministers and parliamentarians, will have their monthly pay increased by NT$1,600 (US$42). Lower-ranking functionaries will receive from NT$410 (US$17) to NT$1,160 (US$31) more a month.
The Republic of China had a population of 15,431,831 at the end of March. A spokesman of the Ministry of the Interior said the figure included the population of the offshore islands of Kinmen and Matsu. Men numbered 8,110,762 and women 7,321,069.
Population of Taiwan Province was 13,431,555, of whom 7,045,825 were men and 6,385,730, women.
An estimated 1,300,000 workers and dependents are served by the labor welfare program in Taiwan. The Taiwan Provincial Social Department said welfare units have been set up in 950 factories and mines. Thirty services are given.
Another former secessionist returned to the government fold charging that adherents of the so-called Taiwan Independence Movement have become tools of the Communists.
Huang Yung-chun, 42, a graduate of the law school of National Taiwan University, left for Japan in 1958. He held various posts in the secessionist organization, including "minister of information." He described his activities in Japan as "foolish and stupid."
April tourism figures showed 66,326 visitors. Japanese led the count with 30,913, followed by Americans. Daily tourist arrivals numbered 2,210.
Today's Department Store has been authorized to open a duty-free shop for overseas Chinese visitors and foreign tourists.
Customers will show passports or other travel papers. Purchases will be delivered at the port of departure.
The American Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG/ROC) marked its 22nd anniversary with a pledge to work for modernization of the Chinese armed forces.
Minister of Defense Chen Ta-ching and Chief of the General Staff Gen. Lai Ming-tang sent letters of congratulations to Major General John Barnes, MAAG commander.
"During the past years," Chen said, "MAAG/ROC has contributed immensely to the modernization of the Chinese armed forces and to our common cause of freedom and justice.
"It is most gratifying to note that the close working relationship continues to exist and grow between the members of MAAG and my staff."
General Lai said it is with the "invaluable assistance" of MAAG that the Chinese armed forces have made great strides toward modernization.