Taiwan Today

Memorial services were held to mark the first anniversary of the passing of President Chiang Kai-shek.

Participants included government officials, civilian leaders, foreign dignitaries and overseas Chinese. President Yen Chia-kan presided.

The chief executive praised the late President Chiang as the motive force of the people of the Republic of China and cited the following accom­plishments to comfort the soul of the late President:

First, the growing solidarity of the people.

The President recalled that when President Chiang left this world, the mourning that came from the depths of the people's hearts showed that his spirit imbued all of the people of the country. "This spirit will remain with us," the President said.

"Faced with adversities and a variety of blows," President Yen continued, "the whole nation - from top to bottom - has united sincerely in heart and action. Our compatriots at home are not alone in demonstrating their unconquerable dedication and their determination to carry out the late President's instructions. The overseas Chinese who are residing in countries with or without diplomatic relations with us have over­come all manner of difficulties and have distinguished loyalty from treason. They have fully exemplified their love for our country, their respect for our leader and their sincerity toward our government. This spirit of mutual considera­tion, mutual support, national unity and common dedication is actually the righteous spirit of the Chinese people as a whole. It is also a sincere response to the summons of the late President."

Second, day-by-day progress in political construction.

The President said: "The government is moving steadily toward our long-range goal and implementing the basic policy of the nation by rallying the great force of the people behind national construction. While strengthening national defense and proceeding with economic development, the government also has been making parallel advances in culture, education, social welfare and other areas to augment the nation's power and bring happiness to the people. Our current accomplishments in national construction are attributable to the resourcefulness and hard work of government employees, construction workers and the whole people. This attests to the unshakable unity of the people from top to bottom. In the last year, we have also held elections for additional members of the Legislative Yuan. These elections, the first to be conducted since the late President's passing, were highly successful. The people were enthusiastic in expressing themselves and lived up to our expectation that they would 'elect the wise and the able.' This shows their support of de­mocracy and their appreciation of the political rights accorded them by the Constitution. We are thoroughly aware that the functions of democracy can be carried out only when the people have a stable life. These elections reflected the people's determination to implement the late President's life-long hopes for democracy."

Third, continuous and steady economic devel­opment.

The President said: "Despite the buffeting of the worldwide economic storm, we have overcome all difficulties and made steady progress in eco­nomic construction. Industry and agriculture have advanced side by side; construction and education have marched forward together. For last year, our price indices remained stable, our national income continued to climb and foreign trade again did well. The Ten Major Construction Projects, which are intended to further our economic potential and promote the happiness of all the people, have been progressing according to schedule. Some have even overfulfilled their targets. All this results from government's determination and courage in planning and implementation, and the sincere and vigorous support of the people. In the past year, we also produced the First Six-Year Economic Development Plan. Our objective goes further than improvement of the economic structure, the exploitation of economic resources and increase of our potential strength to meet the requirements of economic modernization. Scope of the plan is not limited to economic construction. We are also promoting social construction and cultural construction so as to make comprehensive progress toward the construction target of the Principle of Social Well-Being in accordance with the instruction of President Chiang."

Fourth, unceasing development of our external relations.

The President said: "After President Chiang's passing, some people of the world could have taken a wait-and-see attitude and speculated about what our future stand would be. In fact, we have always adhered to our position of remaining in the democratic camp and carried out our anti­-Communist policy. The President's last will and testament hardened the solidarity, smashed the enemy's conspiracy of isolating us by every means and foiled the enemy's ruse of demoralizing our people through 'peace negotiations' and deceiving the overseas Chinese. Our confidence and unity are a cogent reply to international observers and have won the applause of democratic peoples of all the world."

On Youth Day, President Yen Chia-kan called on young people to entertain high aims and pursue meaningful careers, to study hard and cultivate a healthy mind and good conduct and to unite and fulfill their responsibility.

The President's message said:

"If we adhere to the high ideal of regarding the survival or extinction of the country as our own responsibility and we regard life as an oppor­tunity to serve others, we shall be able to assume great responsibilities, embark upon a meaningful career and perform great deeds...

"Any youth intending to meet the tests of the times and assume great responsibilities must first equip himself with sufficient knowledge and training. He must, in other words, cultivate his personality and acquire more knowledge. To serve the country and contribute to the well-being of mankind, he must have an adequate measure of talent and wisdom, and this is derived from learning...Youths of today must encourage others to do the same. Cultivating their love for the people, developing their reasoning power and curbing their material desires, youths of today will make steady progress...

"We can expect our youths to develop their personalities through group activities, to cultivate their group life through mutual cooperation and to perfect their group participation through their individual perfection."

The President quoted the late President Chiang Kai-shek, saying: "'If everyone understands the importance of leading a meaningful life in the group, the talent and wisdom of a single person can be combined with that of ten or a hundred or even a thousand, thereby giving rise to a potential which is ten or a hundred or a thousand times larger.' "

He said the construction of Taiwan and the recovery of the mainland are the "responsibility of all of us," and that he was convinced that "we shall do well and catty out our responsibilities through our concerted efforts to attain our com­mon goal."

Anyone who wants Taiwan to go separate ways is destroying himself, Premier Chiang Ching-kuo told the Legislative Yuan.

He said those who claim "Taiwan is Taiwan and China is China" are either ignorant of history, geography, ethnic ties and the traditions of China, or playing into the hands of the Chinese Com­munists.

He said Taiwan is a province of the Republic of China. It is inseparable from China from all viewpoints - geographic, ethnic, cultural and his­torical.

"Young people in Taiwan may have gone to school longer than I did, but they don't know as much as I do about Communist persecution," Pre­mier Chiang said.

If Taiwan differs from other provinces of China, it is because Taiwan occupies a different position in history.

He said Cheng Cheng-kung, known as Koxinga in the West, made Taiwan his base for an attempt to defeat the Manchus in the 17th century. One of the first conditions President Chiang Kai-shek laid down at the Cairo Conference in 1943 was Japan's return of Taiwan to China.

President Chiang decided to turn Taiwan into a base for counterattack when he stopped over in Hainan Island in 1949. This was because of Taiwan's strategic importance, Premier Chiang said.

The 16,000,000 people of Taiwan should unite together and work for the reconstruction of the country, he added. "Only then can we survive and bring the hope of salvation to our 700 million compatriots on the mainland."

Expenditures on national defense and foreign affairs will continue to take the lion's share of the budget in fiscal 1977, Premier Chiang Ching-kuo told the National Security Council.

National defense and foreign affairs will get 43.4 per cent of the NT$110,864 million budget, which is up 24.9 per cent from 1976.

Without defense there will be no nation, the Premier has said.

Economic construction and communications make up 22.7 per cent of the balanced budget, a hike of 32.7 per cent. This is the largest increase, necessitated by demands of the Ten Major Construction Projects.

The Premier said the budget, which was ap­proved by the President last October, will support and keep pace with the development targets of the nation. It will assure the beefing up of national defenses, promotion of economic prosperity, raising of the living standard and augmented scientific development.

Social welfare expenditures rank third at 11.4 per cent, followed by education, science and culture, 6.2 per cent; general administration, 4.5 per cent; and financial aid to provincial and city governments, 3.9 per cent. Pay raises are included for civil servants, the military and teachers.

The Premier said it is government policy to strengthen the defenses and reduce administrative expenditures. At the same time, the Ten Major Construction Projects will be pushed.

Premier Chiang called on the nation to stress the importance of traditional Chinese ethics in education. He also urged the study of science.

Premier Chiang said Chinese pay more atten­tion to moral principles than other people. They are taught to be tolerant, generous, honest and forgiving.

A man must realize the importance of moral principles, he said. Without them, he may do things that may be harmful to others.

"If everyone in our society has moral princi­ples, we will have an upright society and our nation will be righteous;' he said.

The Premier announced that commercial and construction licenses will be denied to domestic applicants using foreign names.

The Premier said the Chinese vocabulary is more than adequate and registered his displeasure with signboards flashing Chinese translations of English and Japanese names.

He said he has long been puzzled by the increasing number of exotic names for housing developments and commercial establishments and that enough is enough.

Premier Chiang explained that he was not in the least opposed to the study of foreign languages but thought such knowledge should be applied on appropriate occasions.

To show what he meant, the Premier presented each student with two editions of his book "Thoughts About My Father at Tzuhu," one in Chinese and the other in English.

Fidelity and brotherhood can be considered the characteristics of the retired servicemen of the Republic of China, Premier Chiang told the annual conference of the Vocational Assistance Commission for Retired Servicemen.

The Premier said he was impressed by the accomplishments of servicemen, especially with the way they carried out their missions in the war against Communism and then helped with national construction after leaving the armed forces.

He said that when the opportunity comes for recovery of the Chinese mainland, retired servicemen will take up arms again and join their younger brothers in fulfilling the sacred mission.

The Premier said retired servicemen always keep faith and work hard.

Servicemen were among citizens cited at an annual breakfast meeting with the Premier.

First to be honored were a father and son. Lo Yang-sheng, 66, retired deputy stationmaster at Lotung Railway Station in Eastern Taiwan, and his son, Lo Ting-hui, 23, a ticket clerk at the station.

Lo Yang-sheng lined up for eight hours at Lotung for an ordinary ticket during the Chinese Lunar New Year holidays although his son was on duty selling the tickets.

The Premier said that the Los refusal to capitalize on special privilege showed their respect for public morals and law and order.

Lin Yao-tun of the Chiayi Marine Police Station was cited by the Premier for helping his uncle, a man on the wanted list, when the letter returned home for a Chinese New Year reunion.

Chang Shou-chien, commissioner of the Tai­wan Railway Administration, received kudos for his excellent performance when he was master of the Taipei Railway Station. Because of his sense of responsibility, many transportation dif­ficulties were solved, the Premier said.

Keng Yun-ching, chief justice of the Taipei District Court and associate professor of Soochow University, was honored for hard work and dili­gence.

Keng had to drop out of school at the primary school level but later persevered to a doctor's degree.

Lin Yang-hsi, a sergeant, was cited for his honesty.

Lin went to a bank in Lungtan township to withdraw money for his unit. The cashier overpaid him by NT$300,000. As soon as Lin discovered the mistake, he returned the money.

Chang Kuo-shui, a retired primary schoolmaster of Taipei, decided to use his retirement allowance to establish a kindergarten.

Premier Chiang said the government is con­fident it can improve the living conditions of Taiwan fishermen and modernize the industry in the next two years.

There were only five fishing ports in Taiwan during the Japanese occupation compared with the current 126.

The Ministry of Economic Affairs has been instructed to take immediate measures to help modernize the fishing industry.

Free China and Saudi Arabia signed an agreement pledging wide-ranging economic and technical cooperation over the next three to five years.

Reached at the end of a five-day conference in Taipei, the agreement is renewable, said Dr. Mansoor Al-Turki, deputy minister of finance and national economy and head of the Saudi delegation.

Signed by Dr. Al-Turki and his Chinese counterpart, Economic Vice. Minister Chang Kwang­-shih, the agreement calls for cooperation in industry, agriculture, trade, transportation and finance with these highlights:

Industry:
- A fertilizer plant will be built in Saudi Arabia with Chinese technical assistance.
- The Republic of China will help Saudi Arabia set up a petroleum refinery.
- Chinese technical assistance will be made available to help build industrial parks
   in Saudi Arabia.
- The state-own Taiwan Power Company will help establish a power system
   under an extended agreement.
- Chinese engineering firms, including BES Engineering Corp., are welcome to
   participate in Saudi housing and community development proj­ects.
- Chinese entrepreneurs are welcome to invest in Saudi Arabia.
- The Republic of China is assured of a steady supply of crude oil.

Agriculture:
- Services of a technical team working in Saudi Arabia will be enlarged and the agreement ex­tended.
- Experts will go to Saudi Arabia to explore the possibility of further projects.

Trade:
- Saudi Arabia is expected to station a commercial representative in Taipei.
- Taiwan will supply cement and sugar.

Transportation:
- Chinese technicians will be dispatched to help ease port congestion.
- Engineers from Taiwan will be employed to help carry out a five-year railway development project.
- Cooperation in maritime transportation will include Taiwan dispatch of trained seamen.

Finance:
- Financial and taxation experts will be sent to Saudi Arabia to work as consultants.

The Saudi Fund for Development announced a US$30 million loan to finance Taiwan railway electrification.

The announcement was made by Dr. Mahsoun Bahjat Jalal, vice chairman and managing director of SFD, after signing an agreement with Finance Minister K.T. Li for a US$50 million loan for the North-South Freeway. This raises Saudi free­ way loans to US$80 million.

The Saudi Fund for Development is studying loans to other Taiwan infrastructure projects.

Finance Minister Li said Saudi Arabia is implementing its second five-year economic develop­ment program and is in need of new technologies.

On the other hand, the Republic of China needs foreign loans to help finance its ongoing infrastructure and industrial projects.

"We sincerely hope that the cooperation between our two nations will be further enhanced to ensure the successful completion of economic programs in both countries," Minister Li said.

Henri Caillavet, French senator of the Gauche Democratique Party expressed hope that cultural, economic and scientific ties can be established between his country and the Republic of China.

Senator Caillavet said "the 16 million people in Taiwan cannot be ignored." He urged exchange of students.

The French leader, who visited the Chinese mainland in 1947 and 1972, said he was impressed by the spirit and diligence of the Chinese people in Taiwan.

"The standard of living here is far higher than that in Red China," he said.

Caillavet said France has been unable to promote extensive economic ties with Red China. In many areas of the mainland, he said, there is a lack or shortage of electricity. France cannot export electrical apparatus to the mainland, nor can it sell cars there considering the poor roads and low standard of living.

Caillavet commented on the freedom enjoyed by the people and the press of Taiwan. "This is truly a democratic country," he said.

Vice Foreign Minister H.K. Yang returned from a three-week visit to four African states. He said the Republic of China has won the admiration and respect of several African states through rapid economic development.

He was accompanied by Lee Nan-shing, direc­tor of the African Affairs Department of the For­eign Minister, on tours of Lesotho, Malawi, Swazi­land and South Africa.

Personnel sent to Africa by Red China are generally suspected of engaging in intrigue and subversion. By contrast, Yang said, the technicians of the Republic of China are welcomed and trusted.

Yang also met with the African leader of Transkei, a South African area scheduled to gain independence October 26.

All ethnic Chinese abroad are "overseas Chinese" regardless of nationality.

Mo Sung-nien, chairman of the Overseas Chi­nese Affairs Commission, announced this in an­swering an interpellation at the Legislative Yuan.

Hua chiao, the Chinese term for "overseas Chinese," means "Chinese sojourners."

Stressing the meaning of chiao, Mo said, "All Chinese people who have migrated to foreign lands should be regarded as Chinese even if they have become naturalized citizens in their countries of adoption. "

There are overseas Chinese who still hold Chinese passports after residing abroad for 30 or 40 years, Mo said. They may be likened to sons of a family who have set up their own households.

As to those who have become foreign citizens, Mo said, they are like "married daughters."

Overseas Chinese students in Taiwan may be regarded as "daughter's children," Mo added.

Since a family makes no distinction between sons and daughters, the Republic of China treats all the overseas Chinese equally.

"This relationship between the overseas Chi­nese and their homeland is that of blood and flesh and far transcends political considerations," Mo said.

This is a "new direction" for the administration of overseas Chinese affairs.

The existing nationality law of the Republic of China does not exclude citizens of dual na­ tionality from taking government positions, said Education Minister Tsiang Yen-si.

Speaking before the Education Committee of the Legislative Yuan, Tsiang said the government recognizes dual nationality so overseas Chinese can settle in their host countries and at the same time maintain close ties with the Republic of China.

"The Chinese Communists never consider the question of nationality in their campaign to win over the overseas Chinese," he said.

However, he added, the ROC recognizes only the nationalities of countries friendly to it.

Asked whether a Chinese with dual nationality could serve as president of a university in Taiwan, the minister said such a situation should be avoided.

Retired veterans of the Republic of China produced NT$8.1 billion worth of goods last year, Chao Chu-yu, chairman of the Vocational Assistance Commission for Retired Service­ men, reported.

Addressing the annual V ACRS conference, Chao said veterans' enterprises continued to grow last year despite the recession.

Some 14,600 ex-soldiers are taking part in eight of the Ten Major Construction Projects. These projects are using 2,700 machines and 97 vessels belonging to VACRS.

In addition to providing employment, VACRS offers the following services:

- Hospitals which treated 14,318 in-patients and 1,025,384 out-patients in 1975.

- Homes accommodating 25,745 retired servicemen.

- Training as engineers and technicians. More than 30,000 have been assisted.

- Qualification examinations for jobs or advanced schooling. VACRS has held 13 civil service exams and given certificates to 44,493 suc­cessful candidates. Six medical examinations qualified 2,911 persons. Twenty academic examina­tions qualified 4,907 persons.

Yang Chia-lin, chairman of the Cabinet's Administrative Research and Revaluation Commis­sion, said the Ten Major Construction Projects should be completed "according to schedule."

"Funds and materials needed have been supplied," he said.

Personnel and workers are carrying out their duties responsibly. Local governments and the public are giving full support.

A few projects are lagging because of delays in the delivery of equipment and materials from abroad, inefficient handling of new equipment due to lack of experience and poor weather.

As of the end of 1975, the cost was estimated at NT$228.6 billion with NT$60 billion (26.25 per cent) from government appropriations, NT$35 billion (14.65 per cent) from government and private enterprises, NT$41.5 billion (18.15 per cent) from domestic loans and NT$93.6 billion (40.9 per cent) from foreign loans.

The manpower requirement is 180,000 of whom 70,000 are skilled workers. Engineers, fore­men and supervisors number 20,000.

Indonesia has signed a five-year contract to provide crude oil to Taiwan.

Economic Minister Y.S. Sun said the Indonesia volume will total 7 million barrels.

Taiwan is buying 20,000 barrels of crude from Saudi Arabia daily and 60,000 barrels from foreign oil companies.

Oil explorations off Lukang will be resumed this spring with improvement of the weather.

More wells will have to be drilled to determine the quantity of oil and its commercial value.

An oil drilling and exploration vessel is being acquired in Singapore.

The Export-Import Bank of the United States granted a US$4.4 million credit to the Chinese Petroleum Corporation to help finance oil and gas exploration.

CPC will buy USSII million worth of equipment from the United States, including two land drilling rigs, draw-works, pumps, diesel electric generators, blocks, swivels and drill pipes.

Merchant vessels totaled 168 of 2,045,277 deadweight tons as of the end of December.

The Ministry of Communications said that under the Sixth Four-Year Economic Plan which started in January, 1973, the government launched a ship replacement program to build vessels with deadweight capacity of 1.4 million tons.

However, in three years only 35 ships aggregating 369,827 deadweight tons were built. At the same time, 47 ships aggregating 479,431 deadweight tons were scrapped or mothballed.

Foreign trade carried by ship totaled 27,629,­458 metric tons last year, of which 10,171,406 tons (36.82 per cent) was carried by national flag vessels.

Training of seamen is part of the government's maritime program. In 1975, 699 persons received certificates as ordinary seamen. This was in addition to hundreds of graduates from maritime colleges training officers.

A total of 12,207 ships aggregating 70.46 mil­lion gross tons called at Kaohsiung in 1975.

Li Lien-chih, director of the Kaohsiung Harbor Bureau, said the record indicated the Republic of China was not too seriously hurt by recession.

Regulations prepared by the Ministry of Com­munications will put shipping agents under tighter control by denying some of them the privilege to writing bills of lading. Cabinet approval is awaited.

Agents will be divided into Classes A and B depending on capitalization.

Class B agents won't be able to issue bills of lading or collect freight charges. They will be permitted only to solicit goods from prospective shippers and handle forwarding and customs clearances.

Both Class A and Class B may operate only at the port where they are registered.

Class A agents are required to file specimen signatures with the Ministry of Communications and banks.