1. On the question of talks with the Chinese Communists
The government of the Republic of China will never talk with the Chinese Communists. This is our basic position and our bedrock policy.
The reason is obvious: the purpose of Chinese Communist advocacy for peace talks is to destroy the Republic of China by completely controlling Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu and to enslave the Chinese people in these areas as they have our compatriots on the Chinese mainland. Under such a condition, to talk "peace" with them is equivalent to seeking self-destruction.
For the Communists, "peace talks" are actually another form of war—political war, psychological war and propaganda war. "Peace talks" are their political bomb for softening and eliminating our anti-Communist will and for creating division and contradiction in our ranks, aimed at controlling Taiwan. In this context, the best policy vis-a-vis the "peace talk" overtures is to determinedly reject them.
2. On solution of the "China issue"
In addition to our refusal to talk with the Chinese Communists, we also have our basic position on solving the so-called China issue or Taiwan issue.
First, I must make it clear that today there is only a China issue, no Taiwan issue, and that the only real solution to the China issue lies in removing Communist dictatorship and tyrannical rule from the Chinese mainland. To put it more plainly, the solution calls for implementing Dr. Sun Yat-sen's Three Principles of the People, restoring freedom to China, and re-establishing a government of the people, by the people and for the people. There is no other way to satisfy the common aspiration of the Chinese people, to meet the long-range interests of all democratic countries and the free world and to help ensure world security and peace.
As the Chinese Communists are currently engaged in confrontation with Soviet Russia, they have to associate with their "secondary enemies" (referring to the democratic nations) to cope with their "principal enemy" (Russia). If the current balance of force in the world is tilted or if their relationship with Russia alters, the Chinese Communists may suddenly change their course, and the secondary enemy today may become the principal enemy tomorrow. In solving the China issue, we must set our sights higher. We must understand that if hundreds of millions of Chinese people remain under Communist control for a very long time, the control may in the end pose a grave threat to the democratic nations and all the people of the world. Therefore, the real solution to the China issue calls for the eradication of Communist tyrannical rule and restoration of freedom and democracy to China.
3. On the people's role in overthrowing Communist rule
Time and strength are major factors in the solution of the China issue. In this aspect, we also have our basic view.
The fall of a tyrannical regime begins, as a rule, with the people's discontent and resistance. So the main strength that will bring down the Communist regime on the mainland is not the force of arms but the will of the people—the Chinese on the mainland and in free areas.
The Chinese Communists have killed tens of millions of innocent people, but they still cannot consolidate their bloodstained rule. To the contrary, the regime is tottering on the brink of total collapse. One inner-party struggle has followed another, and each becomes increasingly violent. The fundamental cause is the people's resistance to Communist tyranny and dictatorship. No brute force can suppress their aspiration for survival and freedom. Although we cannot predict when the Chinese people can overthrow the Communist dictatorship and tyrannical rule, we are sure the staunch Chinese people sooner or later will consummate their common cause. Existence of the Republic of China is the ember of hope for the multitude of Chinese who have been struggling against the Communists for their freedom.
Our success in carrying out the Three Principles of the People in the free areas during the last 30 years has proved that Communism is absolutely a mistake and a scourge to the country and the people and that only the Three Principles of the People can bless the country and benefit the people. This is to say we have already won politically and we have provided a matchlessly great encouragement for our compatriots on the mainland who have been struggling against the Communists. Actually, this is also the major cause for the Chinese Communists' painstaking effort to wipe us out.
4. On the Communist threat of the "use of force"
The Chinese Communists have threatened time and again that if the government of the Republic of China refuses to talk, they will not rule out the use of force to solve the "Taiwan issue." On this question, I wish to state the following points:
First, in Chinese Communist strategy, peace talk is a dose of poison for us to swallow and kill ourselves slowly while the use of force is like stabbing us with a sharp dagger. We certainly will neither swallow the poison nor fear the Communist threat. If they use force against us, we will fight at all cost and to the last man. If they start the war, it will spark an anti-Communist conflagration on the mainland, and this will destroy the Communist tyrannical rule and lead to the reunification of China under the Three Principles of the People.
Second, in both Chinese and foreign history there were cases of success by outgunned and out-numbered warriors, because it is men with reason and conscience who use the weapons. If our compatriots on the mainland, who have been deceived and suffering to the fullest extent, are dragooned into fighting against us, this will be a golden opportunity for them to rise up against the Communists. There are many historical cases in which a war triggered a domestic revolution.
If the Chinese Communists use force, our soldiers and civilians will have no choice but to fight to the successful end.
Some people in the international community think that, with difficulties at home and threats from Moscow, the Chinese Communists are unlikely to use force against Taiwan.
We do not agree with this view. The Chinese Communists are rabidly militant and are accustomed to taking risks. They may launch a war at any time whenever they think there is a chance. We cannot assess the thinking and actions of the Chinese Communists by a normal standard. Besides, the Chinese Communists believe in violence and in the solution of problems with guns. They will never abandon the use of guns, but the question is when and under what conditions they would use them. They themselves are bound to be destroyed by guns.
5. On Taiwan's security and defense
The Chinese Communists have repeatedly opposed U.S. sale of defensive weapons to the Republic of China under the pretext that this will obstruct their peace-talk effort and increase tension in the Taiwan Straits. This is just a hoodwinking trick they have often use.
In fact, the only way to forestall the Chinese Communists from using force against Taiwan is to beef up Taiwan's defense capabilities. The stronger our capabilities, the smaller will be the possibility for the Chinese Communists to take the risk. The security of the Taiwan region and peace in Western Pacific will be better ensured. Conversely, if our defense is weak and the Chinese Communists' military strength is made stronger, tension in the Taiwan Straits and the Western Pacific will mount and war will become inevitable.
For this reason, the effective way to ensure security of Taiwan and peace in the Western Pacific region is for the United States to build up our defense capabilities by selling us sophisticated weapons and at the same time to refrain from boosting Chinese Communist military force by selling them arms.
6. On the question of establishing links with the mainland
The Chinese Communists' overtures for establishing trade, navigation and postal links with us are actually a part of their peace-talk conspiracy. These are of political, not economic, nature. As their aim is to facilitate infiltration and sabotage against Taiwan, our rejection of the overtures is an imperative measure.
7. On the question of the "Taiwan independence movement"
We have pointed out that there is a China issue but not a question of Taiwan independence. The issue of the so-called Taiwan "independence" movement is manufactured by the Chinese Communists with the use of a handful of ignorant and ambitious people as their tools. Their aim is to create illusions for undermining our relations with other free nations. At the same time, the Chinese Communists try to use this movement to drive a wedge in our ranks and to carry out violence and subversion under the name of democracy and freedom. This is a trick of killing two birds with one stone.
All Taiwan "independence" units and activities of today are actually supported and controlled by the Chinese Communists' organizations and underground network abroad. The movement is a political tool in the Communists' hands. The Chinese Communists push the Taiwan "independence" movement on the one hand, and on the other hand they have said they will attack Taiwan by force if it becomes independent. This fact testifies that the real purpose of the Chinese Communists in supporting Taiwan "independence" activities is to totally control Taiwan.
The handful of Taiwan "independence" elements don't see through this Communist trick, so they have become a toy in the Communist palm. This indeed pains friends and pleases enemies. We hope these elements can recognize the true intent of the Chinese Communists and return to our fold to join us in the anti-Communist struggle for national salvation and also for the security of their native place.
8. On the question of relations with Soviet Russia
Some democratic countries today attempt to checkmate Soviet Russia with the Chinese Communist regime and this has prompted people to think that the Republic of China may consider checkmating the Chinese Communist regime by associating with Soviet Russia.
I want to analyze this question in the following points:
First, the enemy that democratic countries face today is not only one Communist country, but more important is a diametrically different ideology (Marxism-Leninism) and a way of life (Communist system). The situation today differs entirely from the political picture of the 19th century in Europe. At that time, there were contradictions among European nations, but no conflicts in the way of thinking and living. For this reason, an enemy of yesterday might become a friend the next day, and the enemy of an enemy might also be regarded as a friend. Today, both the Chinese Communist regime and Soviet Russia are permanent enemies of the democratic countries. Although there are contradictions between Peiping and Moscow, these contradictions will never lead them to abandon their common goal of burying the capitalist world. So either the thinking of collaborating with the Chinese Communist regime against Russia or the thinking of collaborating with Russia against the Chinese Communist regime is very shortsighted and dangerous.
Second, either Czarist Russia or Soviet Russia has sought to bring China under her control. In the past, the Chinese Communists ignored national interests to accept Russian support and control, and this has resulted in a catastrophe of great dimensions. We will never harbor the illusion of checkmating the Chinese Communist regime by collaborating with Soviet Russia, because this is like inviting endless trouble by leading a wolf into our house. We thoroughly understand that in overthrowing the tyrannical Communist rule on the mainland we must count on the will and strength of the Chinese people, and that if we do it through Russia's hands, we shall plunge China into a catastrophe from which there would be no recovery.
Third, it is reported that we have had contacts with Soviet Russia. That is a Chinese Communist fabrication intended to undermine our relations with democratic countries. We hope that people of the world will understand our determined position of never getting in touch with Soviet Russia and that they will never be fooled by such Communist rumors.
High-ranking military officers of the Republic of China pledged their full support to the government and loyalty to their commander-in-chief, President Chiang Ching-kuo, in accomplishing the mission of national recovery.
The officers made the pledge in the form of a resolution which maintained that the seventh decade of the Republic of China will see the bankruptcy of Communism. It will also be a decade for all Chinese people to unite with one mind in efforts to recover the Chinese mainland and restore the Three Principles of the People there.
During the six-day meeting, the military leaders read the last testament of the President Chiang Kai-shek and heard instructions from President Chiang Ching-kuo.
They also heard reports from the chief of general staff and commanders of the armed forces as well as reports of scholars on the domestic, international and Chinese mainland situations.
After thorough discussion of military buildup to counter any attack, they developed concrete plans for action.
The officers reaffirmed that the armed forces will always serve as the vanguards of the nation, defenders of the Three Principles of the People and supporters of the government.
They will dedicate themselves to the early recovery of the mainland so as to assure the salvation of compatriots there.
In past years, the nation has risen to many challenges, crushed enemy plots and won many victories, the military leaders said, and vowed to unite behind their leader and win the last battle.
From the Kuomintang of China came a letter to Chinese at home and abroad, warning them against being misled by the Chinese Communist trial of the "gang of four." The text follows:
Since November 20, 1980, the Chinese Communists have tried in Peiping the so-called "Lin Piao and Chiang Ching cliques." There were 10 defendants, including Chiang Ching and Huang Yung-sheng, branded as the "ten evildoers." After a 40-day-long farcical trial and another 26 days of the so-called "panel meetings," the verdicts were handed down for Huang Yung-sheng, who had been detained for more than nine years; Chiang Ching, who had been imprisoned for over four years; and others. No matter how severe the penalties are, the Chinese Communists apparently seek to shift their responsibilities for tyrannies inflicted during the last 31 years on the people of the mainland to these ten former Communist chieftains by depriving them of their freedom and even their lives. In so doing, they intend to alleviate the malcontent and resistance of the multitude of people against their high-handed rule. This has triggered another round of power struggle.
In fact, all Chinese Communist crimes and evil stem from perverse Marxist-Leninist Communism, Maoism and the Communist system. This is to say all of the Communists are the criminals of China, including Mao Tse-tung and Chou En-lai, who are dead, and Hua Kuo-feng and Teng Hsiao-ping, who are still alive. They as well as the Communist ideology and system should also be put on trial like Chiang Ching and other members of the "ten evildoers."
We all know that the Communist ideology and system are unsuitable for China. The Chinese Communist rule of the last 31 years is a story of tyrannies against the people and power struggle among the Communist chieftains, in which members of the winning faction can enjoy all the privileges while those of the losing faction are subjected to all forms of persecution and purge. The ten Communists who were put on trial are merely the losers. The difference this time was that the power-holders adopted the "trial in accordance with law" to meet the requirement of the circumstances, but the show was even more ugly than before.
The late President Chiang Kai-shek, tsungtsai of this party, pointed out long ago the evil nature of the Chinese Communists in oppressing the people and their endless internal struggle. In his work entitled "Basic Doctrine for Fight Against Communism and Russia," he said in 1952 that the Chinese Communists are essentially "a group of scoundrels and mobsters" and that the "corruption" and the thought of "seeking for prestige and privileges" are the natural outcome of "transformation from scoundrels and mobsters to bureaucrats and warlords." The rectification of work style and internal strife are "the repudiation of the losing faction by the winning faction" and in the end "a more formidable faction will arise to defeat this winning faction." These ups and downs of power have formed a vicious cycle. As the Chinese Communist regime can neither reunite after division nor bring the chaos to a halt, it is doomed to collapse in the end.
Let's look at the crimes of the "Lin Piao and Chiang Ching cliques" as announced by the Chinese Communist regime during the trial. Which of them is not also the crime of the Chinese Communist party itself? Which of them was not committed also by Mao Tse-tung? The 48 criminal acts in the four categories have actually encompassed the full range of Chinese Communist crimes committed during their 31-year rule. We also can see that the political lines and power struggle within the Chinese Communist regime have a cause-and-effect relationship with the tyrannical rule and resistance put up by the people in different stages. This was pointed out by the tsungtsai on March 29, 1969, in his speech entitled "Revelation of the Revolutionary History Versus the Fulfillment of the Revolutionary Responsibilities." At that time, Liu Shao-chi and Teng Hsiao-ping were toppled and Lin Piao was confirmed as Mao's "closest comrade-in-arms and successor." At that time, the tsungtsai affirmed: "After the ninth party congress, the struggle will be waged mainly among Chiang Ching, Lin Piao and Chou En-lai. In the past, Chiang Ching collaborated with Lin Piao and Chou En-lai for defeating Liu Shao-chi and Teng Hsiao-ping. Now that Liu and Teng have been toppled, Chiang Ching will take on Lin Piao and Chou En-lai in another round of disruptive struggle for Power. This will lead to the eruption of an open internal war."
We have already seen this open internal war mentioned by the tsungtsai. After Liu Shao-chi was toppled by the "ninth party congress," Lin Piao was defeated in the "tenth party congress" held in 1973. At that time, our government agencies concerned obtained and published the document of "571 Project," which recorded the details of Lin Piao's plan for starting an internal war. After Lin Piao failed to carry out his plan, he was reportedly killed in a plane crash in Mongolia. Huang Yung-sheng, Wu Fa-hsien, Li Tsuo-peng and Chiu Hui-tsuo were thrown into the Chincheng jail. Later, Chiang Teng-chiao was also arrested. They together were branded as the principal culprits of the so-called Lin Piao counterrevolutionary clique. This is just one example. In the last 31 years, the intelligence we collected and the assessment we made have not been considered of great importance in the free world, but in the end they have turned out to be true.
Mao Tse-tung and Chiang Ching toppled Liu Shao-chi and Teng Hsiao-ping with Lin Piao's help. When Mao Tse-tung eracked down on Lin Piao, Chang Chun-chiao, Yeh Chien-ying and Wang Tung-hsing all loyally gave him a helping hand. But not long after the death of Mao Tse-tung and Chou En-lai, the "gang of four" headed by Chiang Ching also lost their power. In October, 1976, Hua Kuo-feng and Wang Tung-hsing betrayed Chiang Ching, leading to the arrest of the gang. Thus the influential powerholders of the past have become prisoners. Even after the arrest of the "gang of four" and Teng Hsiao-ping's comeback to power, the inner-party struggle has never ceased. To the contrary, it has become all the more fierce. The struggle of this round is mainly expressed in rivalry for power between Hua Kuo-feng and Teng Hsiao-ping, with Yeh Chien-ying wheeling and dealing between them. No one knows how many ups and downs have appeared in the continuing and enlarging struggle since the" 11th party congress."
We must understand that it is the innocent people on the mainland who have suffered in all these struggles and purges. Nobody knows how many more heads will fall to the ground.
Now that the Chinese Communists are attempting to offset their tyrannies of the last 31 years by trying the "ten evildoers" of the Lin Piao and Chiang Ching cliques. In the course of this a number of "wrong and false cases" have been exposed. The bill of indictment said that 425 leading cadres had been framed and persecuted and 727,420 common cadres and people had been tyrannized, of whom 34,270 had been hounded to death. This is an unabashed lie for reducing responsibility. What a small fraction this figure is in the total number of people who have been persecuted and murdered in the so-called "five major movements" "three red-flag movement," "great cultural revolution" and later Lin Piao incident, Tienanmen incident, "gang of four" incident and in the struggle for freedom, democracy and human rights waged by the broad masses of workers and peasants and young intellectuals during the last 31 years. An objective international estimate gives the number of deaths at 60 million—a holocaust with proportions unmatched in human history.
The Teng Hsiao-ping faction attempts to shift the entire responsibility for this holocaust to the "cultural revolution." The tragedy actually was not limited to the ten years of the "cultural revolution." The 31 years of Communist rule as a whole is a tragedy for the Chinese people. The trial of the so-called "ten evildoers" of the "Lin Piao and Chiang Ching cliques" cannot compensate even an iota for this crime.
The Teng Hsiao-ping faction has been using the trial as a new means in the power struggle. He wants to remove all the opposing influence from the" 12th party congress" to set the stage for his dictatorship. He attempts to destroy Hua Kuo-feng's power base through the trial of the "Lin Piao and Chiang Ching cliques" for removing all obstacles to his "new system" and "new line."
Despite the different histrionics in the "special court," the verdicts, without exception, have exposed the Chinese Communist ugliness and evil. Now that the trial is over, another high tide of power struggle will emerge in the forthcoming "12th party congress." On the surface, the Teng Hsiao-ping faction has got the upper hand, but the troops and the grass roots level are beyond either Hu Yao-pang's or Chao Tzu-yang's control. It is not an easy task even to cleanse the party, at one stroke, of the 18 million members recruited during the "cultural revolution." We may say no matter how hard the Chinese Communists have been trying to create an image of the rule of law, to shirk their responsibility for the crimes committed in their tyrannical rule, and carry out Teng Hsiao-ping's "four fundamental principles" (holding fast to the road of socialism, proletarian dictatorship, Communist party leadership and Marxism-Leninism and Mao Tse-tung thought), the tyrannical nature of the Chinese Communists will change not a whit. The chaos on the mainland will deteriorate, the inner-party power struggle will intensify and the vicious cycle will worsen with the passing of each day. This is as the tsungtsai prophesied: the rising winning faction will defeat the present powerholding faction.
The recent trial of the "Lin Piao and Chiang Ching cliques" has been, in effect, a trial of Communism by all the people. It has bared the atrocious, sinister, despotic and ignominious nature of the Chinese Communists as a whole. This trial also has led to the wholesale repudiation of the Chinese Communists' ideology and system. The defendants are "evildoers," and the judges are "evildoers," too. Also evil are Marxism-Leninism and Mao Tse-tung thought on which their rule is based. We believe no conscientious Chinese will allow this vicious cycle of struggle between vengeful factions to go on after Communist ideology and system have been proved as mistaken and perverse. Even members of the Chinese Communist party can now understand national justice, tell right from wrong and take sides with the anti-Communist camp in the struggle for freedom, democracy and human rights.
Fellow countrymen, the seventies of the Republic of China is the era of Communist bankruptcy. It is also the era for us to recover the mainland and carry out the Three Principles of the People. Let us step up political, economic, social, cultural and military development in our bastion of national revival and forge strong links with our compatriots abroad and on the mainland in the anti-Communist undertaking for unifying China under the banner of freedom and democracy and ensuring the Chinese way of life.
The 12th National Congress of the ruling Kuomintang is opening in Taipei March 29.
The KMT Central Committee asked all party members to submit "concrete proposals" for the caucus, first since the 11th National Congress that opened November 12, 1976.
Date and basic agenda were decided by the Central Standing Committee in conformity with the KMT Charter.
The 12th National Congress was scheduled in view of the "current revolutionary situation in which we find ourselves entering a new stage of crucial importance historical."
"Together we will have to work out how to cope with the new demand, fix the new direction and plan for the new policy with a joint will to carry out the goals of national reconstruction and mainland recovery," the announcement said.
The announcement listed six major topics for the agenda:
1. Revision of the Kuomintang Charter.
2. Review of the party platforms.
3. Ways to reunite China by carrying out the Three Principles of the People.
4. Chinese cultural renaissance, psychological education, democratic rule and political reform.
5. Implementation of the Principle of the People's Livelihood in Taiwan through social and economic reconstruction.
6. Strengthening of the party organization and encouragement of party members to serve the people and win their support.
Also contained in the announcement were these comments on the "current revolutionary situation:"
"Since our party held the 11th National Congress November 12, 1976, we have encountered a series of setbacks as a result of changing international political and economic conditions. Nevertheless, these setbacks have not hindered our social harmony, political reform, economic development, cultural promotion, local reconstruction and military build-up. These gains have been made possible by the dedication of the government and the strong will of our compatriots within and without the country.
"The current signs indicate that the fate of our country is turning from bad to good. This is because the people are united in harmony at home, because of the growing confidence of overseas Chinese in the Republic of China and because our compatriots on the mainland have increasingly turned their hearts to us.
"Today, we are still facing various changes in the international situation, while on the mainland political upheavals tend to intensify. We are inclined to believe that the objective changes externally and the subjective consideration of our augmented strength internally should combine to fuel our great hope for the seventies of the Republic of China.
"We also firmly believe the new decade will see the recovery of the Chinese mainland and the collapse of the Communist party—and eventually the reunification of the Chinese Republic."
Premier Sun Yun-suan said the people in Free China have set up an example for a free, peaceful and unified modern China.
The Premier was addressing the World Freedom Day Rally at the Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall in Taipei. More than 3,000 Chinese and foreign dignitaries gathered to mark the occasion. Dr. Ku Cheng-kang, honorary chairman of the World Anti-Communist League, presided.
Noting the difference between the Republic of China and the Peiping regime, Sun said, "Ours is a land of freedom, prosperity and progress, while theirs is one of slavery, poverty and backwardness. Our success has engendered in the hearts of the people on the mainland a strong longing for emulating Taiwan. This tendency is our best assurance of victory."
Sun said that the burning task of Chinese compatriots at home and abroad is "to bring the fruition of our development based on the Three Principles of the People."
In citing examples of deterioration of the Communist regime on the mainland, the Premier said:
"In the past year, Chinese Communists have failed to reverse their adverse economic trend and their social order has worsened. The trials of the Lin Piao and Chiang Ching cliques have pulled down the mask of power struggle raging in the Chinese Communist party and have proved the absolute failure of Marxism-Leninism on the Chinese mainland. From these trials we can see how capricious the Chinese Communists are and how truth has been distorted in the endless power struggle. The scope of their internal purge will enlarge, and their factional contradictions will sharpen. Instead of attaining the goal of 'stability and solidarity,' the Chinese Communist regime will be further weakened by the increasing chaos.
"Because of the built-in drawbacks of planned economy, technological backwardness and shortage of talent and technology, there is no condition for carrying out the 'four modernizations,' which have turned out to be just another hollow slogan. As the people on the mainland are living in such a state of political corruption and tyranny and economic privation, it is not hard to imaging the magnitude of torment they have suffered and loathing they have had toward the Communists."
Sun warned the free world to beware of the united front tactics of the Peiping regime, saying: "If the free world chooses to ignore their united front tricks and is deceived by their smiling faces into harboring the illusions of 'balance of power' and 'detente,' it will fall into their trap and provide them with the opportunity for dividing and conquering the free world through infiltration and subversion."
Dr. Ku predicted the 1980s will see a further rise of forces for freedom and democracy. He said:
"It will be the decade of Communism's fall. The ROC's 70s will see China's reunification in freedom and democracy." "We are on the threshold of a new age in the course of history's development. Both the decade of the 1980s for the whole world and that of the 70s of the Republic of China have started. All the Chinese and others who stand for freedom and democracy have hand in hand stepped into an era of joint endeavor. This World Freedom Day meeting here today represents the great new unity of such people in the new age, determined to fight on against the Red totalitarians."
Peter Schifferli of Switzerland, WACL Council chairman, and Prince Gabeni, minister of the interior of Swaziland, were among many foreign guest speakers at the rally.