The Government of the Republic of China
• The theoretical basis for the Chinese system of government:
Government of the Republic of China is based on the teachings of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the Founding Father, as expressed in his Three Principles of the People. The Principles are Nationalism, Democracy and Social Welfare (also called the People's Livelihood). Although a physician and scientist, Dr. Sun was well read in political philosophy and history. He drew on both Chinese and Western thinkers. Confucius' ideas are found in Dr. Sun's system, but so are those of Locke and Jefferson. He was dedicated to the Lincoln thesis that government should be of the people, by the people and for the people.
• The form of government:
The form of government is that of a republic with power in the hands of the people. Exercise of power is entrusted to elected representatives. Some institutions of ancient times have been incorporated in the modern system. These include the Examination Yuan to assure a dedicated and efficient career civil service, the Control Yuan to keep watch on all segments and levels of government, and many elements of the court system.
One of Asia's most progressive constitutions was adopted by the National Assembly in 1946, promulgated by the National Government January 1, 1947, and became effective on December 25 of that year. The government established under the Chinese Constitution has many unique features and reflects the innovative political concepts of Dr. Sun Yat-sen. The Constitution assures democratic rule and guarantees the civil rights of the people.
• The structure of national and provincial government:
Structure of the National Government follows the five-power system originated by Sun Yat-sen. Under the President of the Republic are five Yuan (branches of government): Executive, Legislative, Judicial, Control and Examination. The Examination Yuan and its predecessors have implemented and safeguarded a civil service which has supplied persons of merit for government employment for the last 2,500 years.
The President and Vice President of the Republic are elected for six-year terms by the National Assembly, which is chosen by universal suffrage. A two-term limit was waived for the period of the Communist rebellion.
The Executive Yuan resembles the cabinet of a Western country. The Executive Yuan President (Premier) is nominated and appointed by the President of the Republic with the consent of the Legislative Yuan. Vice premier and ministers are appointed by the President of the Republic upon recommendation of the Premier. The Executive Yuan is responsible to the Legislative Yuan. There are eight ministries (Interior, Foreign Affairs, National Defense, Finance, Education, Justice, Economic Affairs, and Communications), two commissions (Mongolian-Tibetan and Overseas Chinese Affairs), three offices (Information, Comptroller General and Personnel Administration), the National Health Administration, and several other agencies.
Lawmaking is the function of the Legislative Yuan, which as of 1981 has 410 members elected by direct suffrage. The 75-member Control Yuan has powers of consent, impeachment, censure and audit. Under the Judicial Yuan are the Council of Grand Justices, the Courts, the Administrative Court and the Committee on the Discipline of Public Functionaries.
Because of the Communist occupation of the mainland, no elections of National Assembly, Legislative Yuan and Control Yuan members were held from the late 1940s until 1969, when Taiwan vacancies were filled and additional members chosen to reflect the increased population of Taiwan and other free areas. Temporary Provisions of the Constitution were amended again in 1972 to make possible elections on a larger scale. The biggest increases were made in the 1980 elections. Balloting in Taiwan, Kinmen and Matsu and selection of additional overseas Chinese representatives added 76 members to the National Assembly and increased the total membership to 1,173. Ninety-seven new legislators were chosen along with 32 additional members of the Control Yuan.
The National Government is empowered by the Constitution to delegate large grants of administrative power to provincial and county governments. The Taiwan Provincial Government comes into close contact with the people in their daily lives. There is a Provincial Assembly of 69 members elected every four years. Taipei and Kaohsiung rank as Special Cities and are co-equal with Taiwan Province. The members of the two city councils are popularly elected.
• Development of city and county government:
What the province is to the National Government, the cities and counties are to the province.
Self-government at the lowest levels has been implemented in Taiwan since 1951. Elected by universal, equal, direct suffrage and secret ballot are mayors, county magistrates, city and county councils, and chiefs of townships and villages. The level of government which deals most directly with the people is not only of the people's choosing but made up of those from their own communities.
Local authorities provide fire and police protection, maintain streets, provide for traffic control, license industry and business, help the needy and support schools. As elsewhere in the world, grass roots taxing powers are limited and local governments must look higher for sufficient financial support. The Chinese system is unitary, not federal.
Centralization is controlled, however, to an extent which leaves local government as more than a mere mouthpiece for the national and provincial levels of government.
• Political parties:
The Kuomintang of China (Chinese Nationalist Party) was established by Sun Yat-sen and has dominated partisan politics for the whole period of the Republic's existence. Chiang Kai-shek succeeded Dr. Sun as the Kuomintang's leader. Upon President Chiang's death in 1975, he was succeeded by Premier Chiang Ching-kuo as Chairman. The Party title of Director General will honor Chiang Kai-shek in perpetuity, just as the title of Party President continues to honor Sun Yat-sen. Two other parties exist. Both enjoy equal legal status with the Kuomintang. The Kuomintang's arivals are the Young China Party, founded in 1923, and the Democratic Socialist Party, which goes back to 1932.
• The electoral process
Candidates may run as the nominees of political parties or as independents. They must have a high school education or the equivalent. The campaign period is two weeks. Most of a candidate's expenses are paid from public funds so that a poor man has a chance against a rich one. Candidates are urged to conduct clean campaigns and to rely on constructive platforms rather than negative criticism of the government and their opponents. Voting is by secret ballot.
• Choosing the President of the Republic:
The President is elected by the National Assembly for a term of six years. Nominations go to the Assembly from political parties. The Republic has had only three Presidents. Chiang Kai-shek was elected in 1948 and re-elected in 1954, 1960, 1966 and 1972. He died in Taipei April 5, 1975, and was succeeded by the Vice President, Yen Chia-kan.
President Yen declined to seek election in 1978 and recommended Premier Chiang Ching-kuo for nomination by the Kuomintang. Chiang Ching-kuo was nominated unanimously and elected by the National Assembly. The Republic of China has been fortunate in having outstanding statesmen available for the nation's highest position.
President Chiang Kai-shek participated in the National Revolution against the Ch'ing dynasty, stood at Sun Yat-sen's side during the formative years of the Republic, led the Northward Expedition which defeated the warlords and unified China, inspired China's victorious effort in the eight-year War of Resistance Against Japan, implemented constitutional government and fought the Communists for more than half a century. President Yen was serving his second term as Vice President when he succeeded President Chiang. He held the economic and finance portfolios in the Central Government and served as Premier for nearly a decade. President Chiang Ching-kuo held many administrative positions in the government. As defense minister, he spurred the modernization of the armed forces. As Premier, he inspired the Ten Major Construction Projects. of the 1970s to pave the Republic of China's way toward developed country status.
• The presidential succession:
Article 49 of the Constitution provides: "In case the office of the President should become vacant, the Vice President shall succeed until the expiration of the original presidential term. In case the office of both the President and the Vice President should become vacant, the President of the Executive Yuan shall act for the President; and, in accordance with the provisions of Article 30 of the Constitution, an extraordinary session of the National Assembly shall be convoked for the election of a new President and a new Vice President, who shall hold office until the completion of the term left unfinished by the preceding President. In case the President should be unable to attend to office due to any cause, the Vice President shall act for the President. In case both the President and Vice President should be unable to attend to office, the President of the Executive Yuan (Premier) shall act for the President."
• The Republic of China and the Communists:
The Republic of China is the constitutional sovereign for all China. Communism on the mainland is a brief episode in the long history of China and the Chinese. Those who espouse this alien ideology have failed the people of mainland China - giving them poverty, oppression, turmoil and backwardness, while most of the rest of Asia was advancing. Communism has long been in trouble on the mainland, where the achievements of the Republic of China on Taiwan are known and admired. Chinese everywhere in the world, including the mainland, await the reunification of China under the Republic of China and Dr. Sun Yat-sen's Three Principles of the People.