The Executive Yuan has decided to increase the fiscal 1968 budget of the National Science Council by a third to US$2,270,000. The expanded program was discussed at the council's first plenary meeting in Taipei August 22.
Dr. Wu Ta-yu, chairman of the Committee for Science Development, National Security Council, heads the National Science Council, which is a reorganized version of the old National Council on Science Development. Education Minister Yen Chen-hsing is vice chairman.
Dr. Wu suggested that most of the programs initiated by NCSD be continued. Professor K. P. Zi, executive secretary of NCSD, will hold the same post in the council.
Members of the standing committee are Dr. Chien Shih-liang, chancellor of National Taiwan University; Y. S. Tsiang, commissioner of the Joint Commission on Rural Reconstruction; Shen Kang-peh, dean of the College of Arts, National Taiwan University; S. Y. Dao, secretary-general of the Council for International Economic Cooperation and Development; and Teng Chuan-kai, education vice minister.
The council has a membership of 29 and four special committees—physical science and mathematics; biological, medical, and agricultural sciences; humanities and social sciences; and engineering and applied science.
Dr. Wu left for the United States August 31 to make arrangements for the visit of Dr. Donald F. Hornig, science adviser to President Johnson.
The other members of Dr. Hornig's science survey mission are Dr. James B. Fisk, president of Bell Telephone Laboratories; Dr. Bruce S. Old, senior vice president of Arthur D. Little Inc.; Dr. Albert H. Moseman, associate, Agricultural Development Council; Dr. Daniel F. Margolies and Dr. Raymond Bowers, Office of Science and Technology, Executive Office of President Johnson.
During a visit from September 17 to 23, the Hornig group talked to Chinese scientists and government officials about the development and improvement of Chinese science. Topics included expansion of graduate programs, intensified research and efforts to cut down on the brain drain. President Johnson promised Vice President C. K. Yen that the United States will help. The discussions were held during Vice President Yen's visit to Washington last May.
Journalists Meet
Chinese Journalists Day was marked with a big rally at the Taipei City Hall September 1. Vice President and Premier C. K. Yen was the principal speaker and Yu Chi-chung, publisher of the Cheng Hsin Daily News and president of the Taipei Journalists Association, presided.
Vice President Yen said the source of trouble in the world is in Asia and that the source of trouble in Asia in to be found on the Chinese mainland. He cautioned the free world not to relax its vigilance. By instigating riots in all ""parts of the world, he said, "the Communists are trying to fish in troubled waters with aggression and expansion as the ultimate aim."
Yu Chi-chung stressed the importance of mass communications in a free society.
A week later, Taipei journalists met again to pay tribute to Lam Bun, anti-Communist commentator of Hongkong Commercial Radio, who was murdered by Communist terrorists.
Messages came from President Chiang Kai-shek, Vice President C. K. Yen and many other free Chinese leaders.
Tseng Hsu-pai, dean of the Graduate School of Journalism, National Chengchi University, said Lam Bun set an example of fearlessness in the struggle against Communism.
Kao Shin, chairman of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission, said Chinese newspapermen and broadcasters everywhere should give all-out support to Hongkong radio and newspaper people in their defiance of Communist threats.
Kudos for Athletes
Thirty outstanding athletes were honored by the China National Amateur Athletic Federation on Sports Day September 9.
They were chosen by associations representing track and field, basketball, swimming, tennis, baseball, volleyball, rugby, soccer, boxing, badminton, judo, weightlifting, mountaineering, fencing, gymnastics, table tennis, archery, skiing, and feats of national strength.
Chung Hua-Chia Hsin awards went to 120 athletes for outstanding performances in the last year. Among them were D. Y. Wu, A. M. Wu, and Miss Chi Cheng, gold medal winners of the Fifth Asian Games at Bangkok last December.
The Chung Hua-Chia Hsin awards were established in 1965 by the Chung Hua Jih Pao (China Daily News) and the Chia Hsin Cement Co.
Painting Exhibition
Top painters held an exhibition in Taipei in mid-September in response to the National Campaign for Promoting Chinese Culture. Participants included Huang Chun-pei, Ma Shio-hwa, George K. C. Yeh, Liang Yu-ming, Liang Chung-ming, Kao Yi-hung, and many others.
Most of these masters have exhibited at home and abroad. An exception is George Yeh, who was minister of foreign affairs (1949-1958) and ambassador to the United States (1958-1962). He has had little formal training in Chinese painting. Other painters regard his work as somewhat out of the main stream but of a feeling and style uniquely his own.
Another exhibition was that of the American watercolorist Cyril A. Nutley. He showed 30 works on American and Asian subjects and 25 etchings of Asian, European, Tunisian, and Mexican scenes.
At the conclusion of the exhibition, Nutley met with local watercolorists.
Motion Picture News
Free China may cooperate with three European nations in motion picture production as a step in promoting cultural exchange.
Henry Kung, general manager of the Central Motion Picture Corporation, made the disclosure in mid-September on his return from a two-month survey of the world motion picture industry.
Leaders of the West German industry, Kung said, are interested in making pictures with an Oriental locale. He talked with Austrian and German movie producers about cooperative ventures.
Spain will send a mission to China and other Asian nations this year to introduce Spanish pictures.
Kung said he extended an invitation to Spanish moviemakers to come to Taiwan.
Kung toured the United States under the U.S. cultural exchange program.
September was a big month for the movie industry. Taiwan Film Studio's "Call of the Mountains" in cinemascope and color reached up a box office record of NT$1,230,000 in two weeks.
The picture is about a young man (Ko Chun-hsiung) who graduates from a college of agriculture and declines to go abroad. He wants to operate a farm in high mountain country. There he falls in love with Chang Mei-yao.
Chinese Studies
Nineteen American students of California state colleges began a nine-month study of the language, history, and culture of China in September at National Chengchi University.
A five-day orientation was held at NCU's Center for Public Business Administration.
Professor P. Y. Koo, director of the Bureau of International Cultural and Education, Ministry of Education, told the group that the free world is beginning to recognize the importance of Chinese studies. He said that in Taiwan everyone will be their teacher.
Four of the 23 students in last year's program decided to stay on for an additional year of Chinese studies.
Odd-Shaped Stones
Gertrude Stein might have said: "A stone is a stone is a stone ... " A stone can be an object of art, however, as can be seen in the collection of Lo Shiang-ling, 61, a native of Hualien on the Taiwan east coast. Some 200 stones of Lo's collection were exhibited at Hualien for three days in early September under sponsorship of the Keng Shen Daily News and the Taiwan Tourism Bureau.
One stone resembles an old man sitting under a tree. Another seems to be a bird singing on a bough, and there is a peacock displaying its colorful tail.
One group of stones is called "Shoes". Each stone is a member of the shoes family - high heels, low heels, sandals, loafers, slippers, and so on.
The Taiwan Tourism Bureau expects to send the stones abroad for exhibitions.
Match Folders
Match folder collecting is a new fad in Taiwan. Exhibitions were held in August and September.
Sources included the United States, Japan, Great Britain, Hongkong, the Philippines, Egypt, France, Ivory Coast, Ethiopia, Thailand, Switzerland, Sweden, Brazil, Malaysia, Denmark, Spain, Iran, Italy, India, East Africa, South Africa, West Germany, Vietnam, and Burma as well as Taiwan.
Tourism Posters
People with a mind to travel thronged the Taipei Wen Shin Art Gallery in September to view tourism posters from the Taiwan Tourism Bureau. Nearly 100 posters from some 30 countries were shown.
Chiang Lian-ju, director of TTB, said it is hoped the posters will stimulate local tourism art.