With about 40 other representatives of local magazines, newspapers, and broadcasting stations, we took a special press bus at 7:10 a.m. for the ceremony site. Some, still drowsy, sat in nodding silence. The rest exchanged views on rumors of the upcoming cabinet.
A Taipei city journey so early on a Sunday morning is a revelation. Gone are the traffic rush, crowds, and noise. Everywhere, the streets look clean and neat. The atmosphere was quiet and peaceful.
It took half an hour to reach the majestic Chungshan Building in the hillside residential and recreational area of Yangminshan. Some of the honored guests were already there. In the following hour, there was a constant traffic of arriving cabinet members, generals and admirals, ambassadors, and the nation's foreign guests.
Punctually at 9:00 a.m. incumbent President Chiang Ching-kuo appeared on the rostrum. The 2,126 now there to witness the ritual stood up to greet him.
Following a 21-gun salute and a musical theme for the inaugural, President Chiang Ching-kuo and new Vice President Lee Teng-hui took the oaths of office, administered by President of the Judicial Yuan Huang Shao-ku. Then the President addressed the nation.
"My dear fellow countrymen, distinguished guests," he began .... "By taking the oath of office today together with Vice President Lee Teng-hui, I do sincerely swear that I will abide by the oath, observe the Constitution, faithfully perform my duties, promote the welfare of the people, and safeguard the security of the nation."
The President recalled the nation's founding fathers and its martyrs and went on to note that the nation's under lying policy calls for balanced consideration for stability and progress. "Based on this understanding," he said, "no major issues of our country, nor the initiation of what is right and the elimination of what is wrong, cannot be openly discussed for the purpose of reaching a general consensus."
He added, "I have always had a deep conviction that 'honesty' must be the motivating force in political development, and that 'justice' is the scale with which a government's performance is gauged. With honesty and justice as our guiding lights, the government and the people will develop firm bonds of mutual trust, thus producing a genuine solidarity."
He listed five broad goals for his new administration:
1. To advance constitutional democracy by communicating more openly with the people concerning their wishes, by making use of the nation's most talented people to assure more comprehensive planning, and by cultivating harmony and a spirit of community to promote national unity.
2. To instill a deeper consciousness of crisis and altitudes of vigilance on the part of the people, promote a common devotion to perseverance and steadfast ness for further success, and cultivate the popular conviction of self-reliance—self-strengthening—as means to enhance national dignity and to attain the goal of national revival.
3. Adopt new ideas and methods and seek better and more efficient reforms on the basis of assured stability.
4. Shape a fully active, responsive, and responsible government with the constant courage not only to fully discharge its duties, but to assume the burden of carrying out its historic mission for the nation.
5. Produce a society based on law and order, wherein traditional ethics are upheld, social discipline maintained, moral standards elevated, and appropriate guidelines for social trends provided.
The Lan Yang dance troupe performs a classic Chinese ribbon dance
The brief—less than half an hour inaugural ceremony—was followed by a reception hosted by President Chiang and Vice President Lee at the Presidential Office for some 300 foreign envoys and visitors, among them: a 23-member Japanese delegation led by former Japanese Prime Minister Nobusuke Kishi; Chae Mun-shik, Korean National Assembly Speaker, heading a delegation from the Republic of Korea; a delegation from the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia led by Saudi Minister of Finance and National Economy Sheikh Mohammad Aba AlKhai; and David Dean, board chairman of the American Institute in Taiwan (AIT), and AIT Taipei Director James Lilley.
Among celebrations staged in Taipei and smaller island communities, the "Unity of the Heart Rally" staged at 7:00 p.m. in Taipei's municipal Sports and Cultural Activities Center, was the most spectacular. The rally featured a background of 5,100 pom-pon girls and 1,500 placard-holders from island high schools, and a series of performing troupes from civic and professional groups and the schools. The rally congratulated President Chiang and Vice President Lee and specifically welcomed the thousands of overseas Chinese who flew here from many countries for the occasion.
Experienced leaders join the cabinet of The New Premier
Yu Kuo-hwa, former governor of the Central Bank of China and chairman of the ROC Council for Economic Planning and Development, was nominated by President Chiang Ching-kuo as his new Premier on May 20 before a special meeting of the Central Standing Committee of the Kuomintang, the nation's ruling party. The session took place just a few hours after President Chiang took the oath of office for his second six-year term. The nomination was immediately referred to the Legislative Yuan, which scheduled confirmation hearings for the new Premier-designate for May 24 and formally consented to his nomination on the next day.
Following are basic biographical facts concerning the new Premier and his cabinet members, heads of executive agencies and commissions:
Premier
Mr. YU Kuo-hwa
Date of Birth: January 10, 1914
Place of Birth: Chekiang
Education:
Bachelor of Arts, Tsinghua University 1934
Harvard University, Graduate School 1944-1946
London School of Economics, England 1946-1947
Honorary Doctorate of Commerce, St. John's University, New York, USA 1973
Career: (in chronological order)
Secretary to the President, National Military Council 1936-1944
Alternate Executive Director, International Bank for Reconstruction and Development 1947-1950
Alternate Executive Director, International Monetary Fund 1951-1955
President, Central Trust of China 1955-1961
Managing Director, China Development Corporation 1959-1967
Chairman, Board of Directors, Bank of China 1961-1967
Chairman, Board of Directors, China Insurance Company, Ltd. 1961-1967
Alternate Governor, International Bank for Reconstruction and Development 1964-1967
Minister of Finance 1967-1969
Governor of the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development for the Republic of China 1967-1969
Governor, The Central Bank of China 1969-1984
Minister of State 1969-1984
Governor of the International Monetary Fund for the Republic of China 1969-1980
Governor of the Asian Development Bank for the Republic of China 1969-1984
Chairman. Council for Economic Planning and Development 1977-1984
Premier 1984-
Vice Premier
LIN Yang-kang
Date of Birth: June 10, 1927
Place of Birth: Taiwan
Education:
• Bachelor of Arts in political science, National Taiwan University
Career (in chronological order):
Magistrate, Nantou County 1967-1972
Commissioner, Department of Reconstruction,
Taiwan Provincial Government 1972-1976
Mayor of Taipei 1976-1978
Governor, Taiwan Province 1978-1981
Minister of Interior 1981-1984
Vice Premier 1984-
Minister of State
CHANG Feng-hsu
Date of Birth: August 5, 1928
Place of Birth: Taiwan
Education:
• Master of Arts in government, University of New Mexico, USA
• Honorary Doctor of Political Science, Kyung Hee University, Korea
Career (in chronological order):
Member, Taiwan Provincial Assembly 1960-1964,
Magistrate, Pingtung County, Taiwan Province 1964-1972,
Mayor of Taipei 1972-1976,
Minister of Interior 1976-1978,
Minister of State 1978-
Minister of State
MA Chi-Chuang
Date of Birth: October 14, 1912
Place of Birth: Hopeh
Education:
• Chinese Naval Academy
• Special Training Group, US Navy
• Chinese Armed Forces Staff College
Career (in chronological order):
Commander-in-Chief, Chinese Navy 1952-1954.
Deputy Minister, Ministry of National Defense 1955-1959, 1965-1972.
Commander-in-Chief, Combined Service Forces 1959.
Ambassador to Thailand 1972-1975.
Secretary-General, Executive Yuan 1978.
Secretary-General to the President 1978-1984.
Minister of State 1984-
Minister of State
CHOW Hong-tao
Date of Birth: December 14, 1916
Place of Birth: Chekiang
Education:
• Bachelor of laws in political science, National Wuhan University
• Institute of National Defense
Career (in chronological order):
Executive Director, Bank of China 1956-1963.
Vice Minister of Finance 1958-1962.
Chairman, Bank of Taiwan 1963-1969.
Director-General, Directorate General of Budget, Accounting & Statistics 1969-1978.
Minister of State 1978-
Member, Council for Economic Planning & Development 1978-
Minister of State
LI, K. T. (Kwoh-ting)
Date of Birth: January 28, 1910
Place of Birth: Nanking
Education:
• Bachelor of Science, National Central University, Nanking
• Cambridge University, UK
Career (in chronological order):
Secretary-General, Council for United States Aid 1958-1963.
Vice Chairman, Council for International Economic Cooperation and Development 1963-1973.
Minister of Economic Affairs 1965-1969.
Minister of Finance 1969-1976.
Minister of State 1976-.
Member, National Security Council 1976-
Minister of State and Chairman, Council for Economic Planning and Development
CHAO Yao-tung
Date of Birth: September 29, 1915
Place of Birth: Shanghai
Education:
• Master of Science in mechanical engineering, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, USA
Career (in chronological order):
Director, Steel Mill Project, Ministry of Economic Affairs 1968-1970.
General Manager, China Steel Corporation 1971-1978.
Chairman, Board of Directors, China Steel Corporation 1978-1981.
Minister of Economic Affairs 1981-1984.
Minister of State and Chairman, Council for Economic Planning and Development 1984-
Minister of State
KAO, Henry, Yu-shu
Date of Birth: September 3, 1913
Place of Birth: Taipei
Education:
• Bachelor, Waseda University, Tokyo, Japan
Career (in chronological order):
Mayor of Taipei 1954-1957 & 1964-1967 & 1967-1972
Minister of Communications 1972-1976
Minister of State 1976-
Minister of State
KUO Wei-fan
Date of Birth: September 3, 1937
Place of Birth: Taiwan
Education:
• Doctorat de Troisieme Cycle (Education), University of Paris France
Career (In chronological order):
Professor. Graduate Institute of Education.
National Taiwan Normal University 1970-1977.
Administrative Vice Minister of Education 1972-1977;
Director, Graduate Institute of Education, National Taiwan Normal University 1978.
President, Chinese Association of Comparative Education 1973-1975, 1979-1982, 1981-1982:
President, National Taiwan Normal University 1978-1984,
Minister of State 1984-
Minister of Interior
WU Po-hsiung
Date of Birth: June 19, 1939
Place of Birth: Taiwan
Education:
• Bachelor of Science in business management. National Cheng Kung University
Career (in chronological order):
Member, Taiwan Provincial Assembly 1968-1972,
Magistrate, Taoyuan County, Taiwan Province 1973-1976.
Director, Institute of Industrial Training for Workmen 1976-1980,
Director, Friends of labor Association 1976-1980,
Director, Taiwan Tobacco & Wine Monopoly Bureau 1976-1980,
Director, Secretariat, Central Committee, Kuomintang 1982-1984,
Minister of Interior 1984-·
Minister of Economic Affairs
HSU Li-teh
Date of Birth: August 6, 1931
Place of Birth: Honan
Education:
• Master of laws in political science, National Chengchi University
Career (in chronological order):
Director, Department of Personnel, Ministry of Economic Affairs 1969-1972.
Administrative Vice Minister of Finance 1976-1978.
Deputy Governor, International Bank for Reconstruction & Development, International Development Association 1976-1978.
Commissioner, Department of Finance, Taiwan Provincial Government 1978-1981.
Minister of Finance 1981-1984,
Minister of Economic Affairs 1984-
Minister of Foreign Affairs
CHU Fu-sung
Date of Birth: January 15, 1915
Place of Birth: Hupeh
Education:
• Bachelor of Arts in sociology University of Shanghai
Career (in chronological order):
Director, Information Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs 1952-1956.
Counselor and Minister, Chinese Embassy Washington, DC 1956-1960.
Minister, Chinese Embassy, Canada 1960-1962.
Vice Minister, Ministry of Foreign Affairs 1962-1965.
Ambassador to Spain 1965-1971.
Ambassador to Brazil 1971-1974.
Ambassador to Korea 1975-1979.
Minister of Foreign Affairs 1979-
Minister of Education
LEE, Huan
Date of Birth: February 8, 1917
Place of Birth: Hankow
Education:
• Master of Arts in Education, Columbia University USA
• Honorary Ph D. Dan Kook University, Korea
Career (in chronological order):
Director, Shenyang Dally News 1946- 1948, Chief Secretary Deputy Director General & Director General, China Youth Corps 1952-1977.
Chairman, Commission for Youth Assistance and Guidance 1967-1972.
President, National Sun Yat-sen University 1979-1984.
Minister of Education 1984-
Minister of National Defense
SOONG Chang-chih
Date of Birth: June 10, 1916
Place of Birth: Liaoning
Education:
• Chinese Naval Academy
• Royal Naval College, Greenwich. UK
• Armed Forces University
• Honorary Ph D. Konkuk University, Korea
Career (in chronological order):
Commander landing Ship Squadron 1954-1955:
Chief of Staff. Naval Headquarters 1965-1967:
Commander-in-Chief, Navy 1970-1976:
Chief of the General Staff, Ministry of National Defense 1976-1981;
Minister of National Defense 1981
Minister of Justice
SHIH Chi-yang
Date of Birth: May 5, 1935
Place of Birth: Taiwan
Education:
• Ph D. Heidelberg University, West Germany
Career (in chronological order):
Associate Professor, Department of law, National Taiwan University 1967-1971.
Research Fellow, Institute of International Relations, National Chengchi University 1969-1971.
Deputy Director, Department of Youth Activities, Central Committee, Kuomintang 1972-1976.
Political Vice Minister of Education 1979-1980.
Political Vice Minister of Justice 1980-1984.
Minister of Justice 1984-
Minister of Finance
LOH Jen-kong
Date of Birth: June 19, 1927
Place of Birth: Kiangsu
Education:
• MCL. School of law, Southern Methodist University, USA
Career (in chronological order):
Secretary General. Ministry of Finance 1972 Commissioner. National Tax Administration of Taipei.
Ministry of Finance 1974-1978.
Director General, Department of Customs, Ministry of Finance 1978-1980.
President, Central Trust of China 1980-1981.
Political Vice Minister of Finance 1981-1984.
Minister of Finance 1984-
Minister of Communications
LIEN Chan
Date of Birth: August 27, 1936
Native of Taiwan
Education:
• Ph. D. University of Chicago, USA
Career (in chronological order):
Professor & Chairman, Department of Political Science and Director, Graduate Institute of Political Science, National Taiwan University 1969-1975.
Ambassador to El Salvador 1975-1976.
Deputy Secretary General, Central Committee, Kuomintang 1978.
Chairman National Youth Commission 1978-1981.
Minister of Communications 1981-
Chairman, Mongolian & Tibetan Affairs Commission
TUNG Shu-fang
Date of Birth: July 6, 1932
Place of Birth: Suiyuan
Education:
• Master of Laws in public administration, National Chengchi University
Career (in chronological order):
Lecturer, Associate Professor, then Professor at Chinese Culture University. Tamkang University National Chung Hsing University 1969.
Editor in Chief, the Central Monthly 1970-1977.
Vice Chairman, Evaluation and Discipline Committee, Central Committee, Kuomintang 1983-1984.
Chairman, Mongolian and Tibetan Affairs Commission 1984-
Director-General, Directorate General of Budget. Accounting & Statistics
CHUNG Shih-yi
Date of Birth: October 16, 1914
Place of Birth: Hunan
Education:
• Hunan University
• National Defense College
Career (in chronological order):
Comptroller· General- Ministry of National Defense 1963-1970.
Director, Bureau of Finance, Taipei City Government 1970-1972 .
Commissioner, Department of Finance, Taiwan Provincial Government 1972-1978.
Director-General, Directorate General of Budget, Accounting & Statistics 1978-
Chairman, Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission
TSENG Kuang-shuen
Date of Birth: October 24, 1924
Place of Birth: Kwangtung
Education:
• Bachelor of Laws in politics and economics, College of Law and Commerce, Kwangtung
Career (in chronological order):
Associate Professor Chu Hai College, Hwa Chiao College, Hongkong 1950-1957.
Deputy Director, Acting Director, Department of Overseas Affairs, Kuomintang 1969-1977.
Director, Department of Overseas Affairs, Kuomintang 1978-1984.
Chairman, Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission 1984-
Director-General, Government Information Office
SOONG, James, C.Y.
Date of Birth: March 16, 1942
Place of Birth: Hunan
Education:
• Ph D. Georgetown University, USA
Career (in chronological order):
Personal Secretary to the Premier Executive Yuan 1974-1977.
Associate Professor, National Taiwan University 1975-1979.
Research Fellow, Institute of International Relations, National Chengchi University 1974.
Personal Secretary to the President 1978-.
Director-General Government Information Office, and Government Spokesman 1979-
Secretary General, Executive Yuan
WANG Chang-ching
Date of Birth: September 22, 1920
Place of Birth: Hupeh
Education:
• Master of Science in environment engineering, Johns Hopkins University, USA
Career (In chronological order):
Director, Public Works Bureau, Taiwan Provincial Government 1958-1969.
Director, Department of Public Works, Taipei City Government 1967-1969.
Vice Minister of Communications 1969-1977.
Vice Chairman, Council for Economic Planning and Development 1977-1984.
Secretary General, Executive Yuan 1984-
Director-General, Central Personnel Administration
CHEN Kwei-hua
Date of Birth: July 19, 1918
Place of Birth: Kwangtung
Education:
• Chinese Military Academy
• US Army Command & General Staff College
Career (in chronological order):
Director-General, Personnel Administration, Ministry of National Defense 1966-1968.
Deputy Chief of the General Staff for Personnel, Ministry of National Defense 1968-1972.
Director-General, Central Personnel Administration 1972-
Governor, Central Bank of China
CHANG Chi-cheng
Date of Birth: December 7, 1918
Place of Birth: Szechwan
Education:
• Ph D. Cornell University, USA
Career (in chronological order):
Vice Minister of Economic Affairs 1965-1969.
Minister of Communications 1969-1972.
Chairman, Economic Planning Council 1973-1976.
Secretary-General, Executive Yuan 1976-1978.
Minister of Finance 1978-1981.
National Policy Advisor to the President, Chairman of the Board Central Trust of China 1981-1984.
Governor, Central Bank of China 1984-
Director-General, Department of Health
HSU Tzu-chiu
Date of Birth: February 5, 1920
Place of Birth: Taiwan
Education:
• Doctor of Medicine, Medical College Imperial University, Japan
Career (in chronological order):
Regional Adviser, World Health Organization 1970-1979.
Acting Director, Health Protection and Promotion, West Pacific Region Office, World Health Organization 1980-1981 Director-General. Department of Health 1981-
Chairman, Vocational Assistance Commission for Retired Servicemen
CHENG Wei-yuan
Date of Birth: January 20, 1913
Place of Birth: Anhwei
Education:
• Chinese Military Academy
• Infantry School, Italy
• US Army Command & General Staff College
Career (in chronological order):
Executive Vice Chief of the General Staff, Ministry of National Defense 1969-1972.
Commander-in-Chief, Combined Service Forces 1972-1975.
Commander-in-Chief, Taiwan Garrison General Headquarters 1975-1978.
Vice Minister of National Defense 1978-1981
Chairman, Vocational Assistance Commission for Retired Servicemen 1981-
Chairman, National Science Council
CHEN Li-an
Date of Birth: June 22, 1937
Place of Birth: Chekiang
Education:
• Ph D Mathematics, New York University, USA
Career (in chronological order):
Professor City University of New York USA 1968-1970.
President, National Taiwan Institute of Technology 1974-1977.
Vice Minister of Education 1977-1978.
Deputy Secretary-General, Central Committee, Kuomintang 1980-1984.
Chairman, National Science Council 1984-
Chairman, National Youth Commission
KAO Ming-huey
Date of Birth: December 5,1931
Place of Birth: Taiwan
Education:
• Ph D. Southern Illinois University, USA
Career (in chronological order):
Professor National Chengchi University 1964-
Deputy Director-General, China Youth Corps 1978.
Vice Minister of Education 1980-1981.
Chairman, National Youth Commission 1982-
Chairman, Research, Development & Evaluation Commission
WEI Yung
Date of Birth: May 5, 1937
Place of Birth: Hupeh
Education:
• Ph D. University of Oregon, USA
Career (in chronological order):
Professor & Chairman of Graduate Program in Political Science Memphis State University 1974.
Deputy Director, Institute of International Relations 1975-1976.
Eisenhower Exchange Fellowship 1977.
Visiting Scholar, Brookings Institute 1977.
Chairman, Research, Development & Evaluation Commission 1976-
Chairman, Council for Agricultural Planning and Development
WANG You-tsao
Date of Birth: July 2, 1925
Place of Birth: Fukien
Education:
• Ph D. in Economics, Iowa State Univ. USA
Career (in chronological order):
Assistant, Instructor, Associate Professor (1954-1960) and then Professor (1965-1966).
Department of Agricultural Economics, National Taiwan University, Vice Chairman, Council for Agricultural Planning and Development 1979-1984.
Chairman, Council for Agricultural Planning and Development 1984-
Chairman, Council for Cultural Planning and Development
CHEN Chi-lu
Date of Birth: April 27, 1923
Place of Birth: Taiwan
Education:
• Ph D. in Sociology, Tokyo University, Japan
Career (in chronological order):
Director, Institute of American Culture, Academia Sinica 1974-1977.
Dean, College of Liberal Arts, National Taiwan University 1975-1977.
Minister of State 1977-1981.
Chairman, Council for Cultural Planning and Development 1981-.
Professor, National Taiwan University 1981-.
Member, Academia Sinica 1981-
Chairman, Atomic Energy Council
YEN Chen-hsing
Date of Birth: July 10, 1912
Place of Birth: Honan
Education:
• Ph D. University of Iowa, USA
Career (in chronological order):
Minister of Education 1965-1969.
President, Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology 1969-1975.
President, National Tsinghua University 1969-1970.
President, National Taiwan University 1970-1981.
Chairman, Atomic Energy Council 1981-
Deputy Secretary-General, Executive Yuan
WU Chi-fang
Date of Birth: October 23, 1919
Place of Birth: Hupeh
Education:
• Bachelor of Science in business administration, National Chungking University
Career (in chronological order):
Director, Department of Commerce, Ministry of Economic Affairs 1972-1977.
Director-General, National Bureau of Standards, Ministry of Economic Affairs 1977-1979.
Vice Chairman, Research, Development and Evaluation Commission 1979-1980.
Deputy Secretary-General, Executive Yuan 1980-