April 16. General Lyman L. Lemnitzer, newly appointed chief of staff of the United States Army, left for Okinawa this afternoon after having talked twice with President Chiang Kai-shek during his 24-hour visit here.
The Executive Yuan appointed today Mr. Wang Tse-chen, Director of the Treaty Department of the Foreign Ministry, to be Administrative Vice Foreign Minister to succeed Mr. Chou Shu-kai who had been transferred to the post of Political Vice Foreign Minister of the same ministry.
18. Newly-appointed Ambassador to Japan Chang Li-sheng pledged today that he would do his utmost to promote Sino-Japanese cooperation in the economic and cultural fields and to work for the welfare of Chinese nationals now in Japan. Ambassador Chang also expressed his confidence that with the backing of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, he would be able to strengthen the Chinese Embassy and would try to accomplish his mission according lo the government policy.
19. In a press statement, Dr. Sampson C. Shen, Director of the Government Information Office, said the Dalai Lama's statement made it known that "it was his free will to escape from Tibet, giving the lie to the Communist allegation that the Dalai Lama had been 'abducted'." "The barbaric action of the Chinese Communists in Tibet, as pointed out in the statement of the Dalai Lama, is denounced not only by the Chinese people but also by all righteous peoples of the world," Dr. Shen added. "Our Government is concerned over the Dalai Lama and all the freedom-fighters of Tibet. We shall continue to render all-out support to the people of Tibet who are staging an overall fight against the Communists."
The project for the expansion of the Hualien harbor into an international port was formally set in motion today when Governor Chou Chih-jou pushed the button. Speaking at the colorful ceremony marking the beginning of the NT$31,000,000 expansion project, Governor Chou pointed out that East Taiwan had been lagging behind West Taiwan in productivity and reconstruction mainly because of transportation difficulties. But now, with the harbor to be completed in three years, prosperity would come to the east coast, where natural resources were many. Industries would spring up on that side of the island, he predicted.
20. The Aviation Corps of the Chinese Army, first in Chinese military history, was formally activated today will a number of Chinese Air Force pilots transferred to the Chinese Army on the previous day. The Army's air corps was equipped with a number of light airplanes.
The 6-day Education and Communications Media Asian Regional Conference sponsored by the American International Cooperation Administration opened at the Grand Hotel, Taipei, today. Some 60 American education and communications media specialists from 15 Asian countries attended the meeting presided over by Harry C. Schmid, education officer of ICA MSM/C.
Seven hundred and twenty nine overseas Chinese youths in the Philippines arrived at Keelung on a government navy ship this morning for Summer Camp activities and Camp Show services.
22. Commander in Chief of the Army General Peng Meng-chi conducted an inspection tour on Matsu.
25. At the 9th meeting of the Mainland Recovery Planning Board this morning, Vice President Chen Cheng urged members of MRPB to map out long-range plans for national reconstruction while keeping abreast with the ever-shifting conditions. He further disclosed that the board had completed 336 planning projects in connection with national recovery during its four and a half years existence.
Foreign Minister Huang Shao-ku said today the overwhelming Liberal-Democratic victory in Japan regional elections "demonstrated once again that the Japanese people have renounced Communism and told leftist parties they are not welcome." Minister Huang was confident that the Japanese government under Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi "will continue to remain on the side of the free world."
28. Foreign Minister Huang Shao-ku decorated today Apostolic Internuncio Anthony Riberi with the Grand Cordon of the Order of Brilliant Star in recognition of his contributions to the friendly ties between the Republic of China and the Vatican. The envoy of the Roman Catholic Church had been reassigned as papal nuncio to Ireland.
29. General Chen Chia-shang, Commander in Chief of the Chinese Air Force, left here for the Philippines to attend the Pacific Weapons Conference being held from April 27 to May 7 at Clark Airbase.
Upon arrival at Sungshan airport, Mr. J. Graham Parsons, designated Assistant Secretary of State for Far Eastern Affairs of the United States, declared that the U. S. policy of friendship and support to the government and the people of the Republic of China would be carried on, and the change of a few key persons in the State Department would not affect the American foreign policies.
May 5. Naval forces of the Republic of China and the United States, though ever on the alert, had sharpened their watch over the Taiwan Straits, authorities of the two navies disclosed today. Vice Admiral Ni Yue-si, Commander in Chief of the Chinese Navy, said he had ordered his fleets to step up patrol operations over the Straits, where the massive Red artillery shelling took place last autumn. Rear Admiral Paul P. Blackburn, commander of the Taiwan Patrol Force, said he too had told his men to watch out for fresh Communist movements in the Straits.
The Republic of China had decided to take part in two international athletic meets next year, namely, the World Olympics scheduled to be held in Rome in August, 1960, and the winter Olympics at Squaw Valley, California, in February of the same year, the China National Amateur Athletic Federation announced today.
6. Addressing the air cadets at a commencement ceremony at Kangshan this morning, President Chiang Kai-shek called on the graduating cadets of the Chinese Air Force Academy to keep CAF record shining continuously. It was up to the cadets to maintain the hard-won reputation, the President added.
Yang Chi-tseng, Minister of Economic Affairs, said today that development of animal husbandry would be one of the major means to solve Taiwan's economic problems.
9. At a planeside press conference upon his arrival for a three-day visit, Vice Admiral Frederick N. Kivette, commander of the United States Seventh Fleet, declared that his fleet was "always ready for anything, anywhere, anytime."
A joint Sino-American naval exercise in the Taiwan Straits was successfully concluded today. It laid particular stress on naval tactics with due emphasis on mobility, according to Chinese Navy Commander Vice Admiral Ni Yue-si.
12. The Chinese Government decorated the five members of the Thai police mission today in appreciation of their protection extended to Chinese residents in Thailand. Lieutenant General Prasert Ruairavonds, deputy chief of Thai police, was awarded the Grand Cordon of the Brilliant Star. Brigadier General Krasien Suratanonda, police-base general and immigration chief, was the recipient of the Order of the Brilliant Star. The three other members of the mission were given special police medals.
Admiral (retired) Felix B. Stump, chairman of the Freedom Foundation in the United States, accompanied by Mrs. Stump, arrived here this morning for an eight-day visit.
The Provincial Government approved at its meeting today a school expansion project for the next school year with a total budget of more than NT$130 million. The project called for the increase of 2,464 classes in primary schools, 402 classes in junior middle and junior vocational schools, and 248 in senior middle and senior vocational schools throughout the island. Furthermore, 34 classes were scheduled to be added to the provincial colleges, 18 to provincial refresher schools, 14 to the schools for the blind and dumb, and 92 to primary schools for aborigines.
The Republic of China had decided to enter seven Olympic events at the Rome Games in 1960, the preparatory committee for Chinese participation announced today. Chinese athletes would take part in track and field, soccer, basketball, shooting, weightlifting, boxing and swimming.
For the first time since the artillery war in the Taiwan Straits started, Peikantang Island of the Matsu complex, was shelled by Communist artillery today, the Ministry of National Defense announced.
14. President Chiang Kai-shek became the seventh recipient of Freedom Leadership Award from the Freedoms Foundation at Valley Forge. The award was presented to the President by Admiral Felix B. Stump (retired), chairman and chief executive officer of the organization. Admiral Stump read a citation at the presentation, praising President Chiang for his foresighted understanding of the dangers of Communism before became awakened and for his fearlessness in the face of danger. In response, the President said he was greatly honored to receive this award. He asked Admiral Stump to tell President Eisenhower that the Republic of China would continue to fight until the final victory would be won.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced today that "with a view to further promoting the friendly relations and cooperation between the Republic of China and the Republic of Costa Rica, the Chinese Government has decided to elevate its Legation in San Jose to the rank of Embassy effective as of May 15, 1959, while the Costa Rican Government has also decided to establish a diplomatic mission of equal rank in Taipei."
15. Beginning today, the 8th Central Committee of the Kuomintang held its plenary session at suburban Yangmingshan to map out new anti-Communist strategies in the wake of a series of mainland upheavals. President Chiang Kai-shek personally presided over the all-important five-day conference in his capacity as Director General of the party. Others attending the session included Vice President Chen Cheng, the party's Deputy Director-General, members of the Central Committee and some 300 top party officials. In his opening speech, the President called on the conferees to make a review on the development of world and domestic affairs during the past one and a half years following the close of the party's Eighth National Convention. He further instructed them to decide the guiding principles for the party's future work and map out policies that would have direct bearing on an eventual national restoration.