The Chung Yang Jih Pao (Central Daily News) said the Chinese Communists must give up the "Mao line."
The paper said: "The 6th plenary session of the 11th central committee of the Chinese Communist party ended yesterday. Hua Kuo-feng, the party chairman, was forced to step down. He was replaced by Hsu Yao-pang.
"Teng Hsiao-ping was elected chairman of the party's military commission but still ranks behind Yeh Chien-ying, showing that difficulty and inconsistency exist in the relationship between the party and the military.
"Subjects discussed at the plenum included the so-called 'historical problem,' the judgment of Mao Tse-tung and the selection of a party chairman.
"Although Hua was down-graded to vice chairman, he is still a member of the politburo standing committee.
"Teng has been trying to eliminate Hua but has had to make compromises because of increasing opposition.
"The focal point in the Chinese Communist power struggle concerns criticism of Mao. But 'Mao thought' is the guideline of the Chinese Communist party and indispensable.
"Mao brought disaster, suffering, hunger and death to the Chinese mainland people. If the Chinese Communists go on following Mao's course, Chinese Communism cannot change and has reached a dead end.
"Compromise on the Chinese Communist power structure will only engender a fiercer struggle."
China Post — Superior ideology
The English-language China Post pointed out the superiority of the Three Principles of the People in comparison with Communism.
The paper said: "Free China is now so much more advanced than Communist China that one thing seems unmistakably true: the Three Principles of the People formulated by Dr. Sun Yat-sen is superior to Communism. The last 32 years have seen China going in two separate directions. On the Communist-controlled mainland people are deprived of freedom and the right to scrape out a living for themselves; in Taiwan we have a society, guided by these Principles, where people have many freedoms and a good life and where they are continuously working to build a better society.
"Ever since 1949 the government of the Republic of China has been vigorously carrying out the Three Principles of the People. Our economic growth is one of the fastest in the world. Our society is stable and terrorism has never been a threat. The gap between the rich and the poor is narrower than in the rest of the world where free enterprise is practiced.
"These achievements are a big encouragement. Yet our heart aches whenever we think of the conditions of our mainland compatriots. They are of the same flesh and blood as we are but living a much inferior life due to the Communist system imposed by the Peiping regime.
"When the Communists were trying to seize power they promised to give the poor a good life, but poor people on the mainland have remained as poor as ever and the rich have lost their lands, wealth and social status.
"The Peiping leaders, realizing they can no longer fool the people with their honeyed words about the 'superiority of socialism,' are now desperately tightening their grip on dissenters on the mainland. Having failed in their united front tactics, they have recently begun to shout again about taking military action against Free China. This return to a hard-line policy does nothing but reveal the regime's fear and shame in the face of its failure.
"There is nothing more powerful in fighting the Chinese Communists than emphasizing the superiority of the Three Principles of the People.
"Over the years we have been making a psychological attack on the mainland and have been quite successful. Many of our fellow countrymen on the mainland have been introduced to the Taiwan story. Besides emphasizing the high standard of living people in Taiwan enjoy, we should point out the hope these Principles can provide for a strong China."
United Daily News — Weapons for the ROC
The Lien Ho Pao (United Daily News) said the United States should carry out provisions of the Taiwan Relations Act and provide defensive weapons for the Republic of China.
The paper said: "U.S. Secretary of State Alexander Haig said the United States will lift restrictions against the sale of offensive weapons to Red China, although the Chinese Communists have been unable to help the United States curb Soviet expansionism.
"To modernize the Chinese Communist armed forces would cost the Americans about US$60 billion and could invite a Soviet pre-emptive strike.
"Supplying Red China with lethal arms will upset the equilibrium of Southeast Asia and the Taiwan Straits. The Chinese Communists may launch another punitive attack on Vietnam and might be encouraged to take offensive action against Taiwan.
"Arms sales to Red China violate the U.S. intention to safe-guard the peace and security of the Western Pacific and contradict its concern for the well-being of the people of Taiwan.
"The United States should provide advanced defensive weapons to the Republic of China to counteract the Chinese Communist threat."
China Post — Haig's visit
The China Post said U.S. Secretary of State Alexander M. Haig Jr. found that his visit to Peiping caused considerable apprehension and worry among U.S. Asian allies and friends.
The paper said: "This was the reason he had to pledge to the ASEAN foreign ministers' conference in Manila that the United States will consult with its Asian allies before any arms are sold to Red China.
"The conference questioned the wisdom of the U.S. decision to supply 'lethal arms' to Peiping. All these nations have suffered from Chinese Communist aggression in one way or another. Indonesia was especially jolted by the new U.S. policy of arms sales, according to a statement by Foreign Minister Mochtar Kasumaatmadja, who complained that 'there was no consultation. It is a development which causes some concern although it is their right and done within the context of the global situation as they see it.'
"The Indonesian reaction reflected typical apprehension by Southeastern and other Asian nations toward Haig's mainland visit. Although Secretary Haig tried to soften the blow by saying that no concrete decision on any arms sales has been made and the United States will consult U.S. allies before arms sales are made, Asian allies will hardly be reassured by words which are contrary to the tone of Haig's announcement at Peiping.
"Only Peiping seems to be elated by Haig's visit, and even it denounced President Reagan's stand on the Republic of China and the Taiwan Relations Act. It threatened to downgrade Washington-Peiping relations unless the United States follows its suggestion of ending arms sales to Taiwan. No U.S. president could possibly submit to Peiping's blackmail."
Shin Wen Pao — Playing with fire
The Shin Wen Pao said Western countries that try to play the Red China card against the Soviet Union fail to understand the nature of Communism and are playing with fire.
The paper said: "Communist China's Vice Premier Li Hsien-nien recently said to a delegation from West Germany, 'We hope to have better relations with the Soviet Union and will continue talks with the Soviet for normalization.' He emphasized that efforts to do so are substantive ones, not slogans.
"U.S. Secretary of State Alexander Haig has just ended his trip to Peiping and decided to sell Communist China lethal weapons. But now Peiping is talking about improving relations with the Soviet Union, so obviously the Peiping regime is playing the Russian card as a pretense to obtain weapons from the United States.
"In a world where self-interest is pursued regardless of principles, the playing of 'cards' by governments has become a common strategy to achieve military balances and increase national influence. The way the U.S. has been playing the (Red) China card in recent years has made the world more chaotic.
"The reason the U.S. has given in to Peiping's demands by lifting the ban on arms sales to Communist China is that Washington wishes to increase its influence to force the Soviet Union to resume talks about arms limitation and refrain from expanding its military influence around the world.
"However, Communist China does not really have the ability to check the Soviet aggression and does not intend to join the U.S. in opposing the Soviet Union.
"Although there have been clashes between the Chinese Communist regime and its Soviet counterpart in the last 20 years, these are only a struggle for hegemony. Both Communist regimes harbor the intention of burying all capitalist nations and communizing the world. Red China and the Soviet Union would never wage war with each other, for they both know this would benefit the free world."
China News — Beware of gifts
The English-language China News said the United States should beware of the Chinese Communists asking for gifts.
The paper said: "Reports that they don't want weapons, only computers and the like, should be taken with a whole barrel of salt.
"Red China wants all it can get, and especially at the expense of the United States.
"Thousands of aircraft, tanks and missiles are obviously out of the question unless the Americans pay for them. The Chinese Communists can't.
"Red China is prepared to make modest demands at the outset. It does not wish to disturb the further playing of the U.S. card against the Soviet Union.
"As U.S. interest is whetted by the prospect of alliance with armed forces totaling 3.5 million men, the price will go up.
"The Chinese Communists also proceed cautiously to conceal their priority objective, which is the destruction of the Republic of China and the enslavement of Taiwan.
"Computers would have a lot more value against the small target of Taiwan than against the vast empty spaces of Siberia and the Far Eastern holdings of the USSR.
"Red China cannot tell the United States that it has no intention of waging hot war against the Soviet Union and that the Republic of China is the real target. But that is the case.
"Peiping has always hoped for war between the United States and the USSR. Its intention is to avoid involvement. Once the two superpowers had knocked each other out, there would be plenty of pieces for the Chinese Communists to pick up.
"An army of 3.5 million is not enough if the Chinese Communists are to cross the Taiwan Straits and come to grips with the defenders of the Republic of China.
"Getting across 100 miles of water is not an easy task. Defenders can meet invaders with air and sea power.
"Computers would be needed to direct fire control and sort out priorities among the possible targets. The Chinese Communists have enough boats to get across the straits. They do not have the directional apparatus and that is what they are seeking from the United States under the pretense of using it against the Soviet Union.
"Red China's intentions are apparent in the insistence that it will not accept U.S. arms sales to the Republic of China as a quid pro quo for its own procurement of weapons or software.
"The Chinese Communists are aware of the strong backing for the Republic of China in the U.S. Congress and among the American people. They know they must soft-pedal their true intentions in negotiations with the United States."