President Chiang addressed the joint commencement exercises of the Army, Navy and Air Force at Fu Hsing Kang in suburban Taipei.
He called on new officers to serve the people and be loyal to the country. He reminded them not to forget President Chiang Kai-shek's direction and philosophy, and to carry out the instructions of the late President and Dr. Sun Yat-sen to unify China.
Encouraging some 1,000 graduates to be courageous, smart, upright and kind, the President said graduation means the undertaking of a challenge from society.
"We should bravely tackle such a challenge and move toward a state of righteousness and justice," he said.
He encouraged the graduates to choose a proper target and a proper way to aim at it. In youth, everything cannot be as smooth as one had thought, yet, with resolution and courage, every person can overcome his problems.
The President presented the diplomas and medals to outstanding students.
In his capacity as Chairman of the ruling Kuomintang, President Chiang told a Central Standing Committee meeting that the whole-hearted support of overseas Chinese augments hope for victory over Communism.
After a briefing by Mao Sung-nien, chairman of the Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission,
President Chiang said:
"This is the opportune moment for us to overthrow the Communist regime. Standing behind us are thousands upon thousands of overseas Chinese in all corners of the world.
"We should strengthen ourselves physically and mentally so that when the sacred mission of mainland recovery begins, we shall be ready."
President Chiang directed the authorities concerned to help overseas Chinese in every way possible.
Former President C.K. Yen warned the West against arming the Chinese Communists as a counterweight to Soviet expansionism. Such a step could lead to world war, Yen said in a keynote speech to the Taipei Symposium on the Strategic Situation in Northeast Asia.
A militarily strong Red China may turn against those who helped to make it strong, he warned.
Yen criticized the balance of power concept followed by the United States in recent years.
Reviewing European history since the 15th century, the former President said the balance of power policy of European powers has always ended in disasters, including the First World War.
Obsession with balance of power strategy is likely to result in a violation of moral principles, he said. "Enemies have to be regarded as friends and friends as enemies. The upshot is that you can't trust anyone as a friend and you see enemies everywhere.
"Such a situation does not contribute to peace and is apt to lead to war."
Noting that the balance of power calls for aiding the weak to check the strong, Yen said that when the weak become strong, they are likely to bite the hand that has fed them.
Reviewing recent developments in Asia, he noted the following:
- Tokyo and Peiping signed a peace treaty in August, 1978. In November and December of the same year, the Soviet Union signed friendship treaties with Vietnam and Afghanistan.
- After Washington announced "normalization" with Peiping last December, Hanoi invaded Cambodia and shattered the balance in Indochina.
- When the Chinese Communists launched their "punitive" war against Vietnam last February, Communist-backed South Yemen attacked North Yemen, plunging the Persian Gulf area into crisis.
- In the last year, the Soviet Union has responded to Western overtures to Peiping by drastically strengthening military deployments in the Far East.
The United States has said it would not oppose arms sales to Peiping by its NATO allies, although it will refrain from selling arms itself, Yen noted. ''What steps would the Soviet Union take if the West provided modern weapons to Red China? " he asked.
With brushfire wars already under way in Indochina, there is no certainty that conventional conflict would not escalate into nuclear holocaust, Yen said.
Analyzing the change of U.S. strategy from confrontation to balance of power, he attributed it to the following:
- Huge Soviet military spending enabling the U.S.S.R. to catch up with U.S. in weaponry.
- Weakening of U.S. strength and morale in the Vietnam War.
- Schism between Moscow and Peiping and the latter's courting of the West in its global united front offensive.
The period of confrontation enabled the world to rise from the ruins of the last war, while the balance of power concept is leading to disaster, Yen said.
Strategists from Japan, South Korea and the Republic of China attended the symposium.
A Chinese military leader predicted that Russian naval strength will be expanded after the death of Leonid Brezhnev and cautioned the Free World to be vigilant.
Admiral Ke Tun-hua, administrative vice defense minister, was addressing the Symposium on the Strategic Situation in Northeast Asia.
Commenting on the paper presented by Tatsuo Tsukuji of Japan, "Analysis of the Expansion of Soviet Sea Power in the Western Pacific," Admiral Ke said that in the last 10 years, Soviet naval power has been materially increased. Under Stalin and Khrushchev, the navy was either placed in a position subordinate to the army or neglected by the Soviet Communist party.
Now the Soviet Pacific Fleet is superior to the U.S. 7th Fleet in many aspects, he said. "The ratio of warships in the two fleets is 1:11 with the U.S. fleet having 50 vessels and the Russian fleet 550," Admiral Ke said.
"The average age of Soviet Pacific Fleet warships is less than that of the 7th Fleet by six years (9 vs. 15 years)," Admiral Ke added.
The 7th Fleet leads in only 4 of 18 categories. This poses a serious threat to Japan, South Korea and the Republic of China, Admiral Ke said.
He agreed with Tsukuji, a retired Japanese admiral, that Soviet industry in the Far East is weaker than Soviet industry in Europe.
"But may I remind you that Siberia is no longer a forsaken land for exiled prisoners. The Soviets have considerably developed their heavy industry there," he said.
For the present, he added, world revolution and domination is not the priority goal of Soviet naval development. "It may not do Russia any good to communize other countries before it can control them," he said.
"Take Soviet naval activities in the Mediterranean, for example. Soviet warships do not sell Communism to the countries of that area. The Russians hope to influence the nations with naval power first, then apply tight control before communizing them."
Premier Sun Yun-suan showed his great interest in local government at the first of a series of grass roots conferences. (File photo)
Premier Sun Yun-suan announced the Republic of China will accept 2,000 more Indochinese refugees and donate US$10 million worth of rice to help others.
The Cabinet reached the decision after President Chiang Ching-kuo instructed the government to continue helping refugees from Communist ruled lands.
Premier Sun issued the following statement in announcing the relief measure:
"The Republic of China is deeply concerned about the plight of Indochinese refugees.
"As of mid-November, we had accepted 11,000 of these refugees. We donated 10,000 tons of rice and US$500,000 for their support.
"Now our government has decided to accept another 2,000 Indochinese refugees. Some of these will come from Vietnam. The International Red Cross is being asked to arrange for transportation of refugees from Vietnam to Bangkok, and we will charter planes to bring them from Thailand to Taiwan.
"All of the Republic of China's vessels at sea have been alerted to be on the lookout for boat people and take them aboard.
"Our government also is donating another US$10 million worth of rice for the support of refugees.
"Taiwan has one of the highest population densities in the world. We have nevertheless welcomed 167,000 refugees from the Chinese mainland over the years and are accepting as many Indochinese refugees as we can.
''The Republic of China hopes international relief organizations will immediately arrange to send our rice to the refugees. We also hope other free countries will do more to help them."
The International Rescue Committee in the United States presented a preliminary report to the government on the disposal of its donation of US$500,000.
The report said US$100,000 was used for medical programs in Malaysia; US$75,000 and US$70,000 for medical supplies and teams, respectively to aid Cambodian refugees in Thailand; US$30,000 for refugee facilities in Hongkong; and US$225,000 to provide relief for refugees arriving in the mass exodus from Cambodia.
The IRC report, signed by executive director Charles Sternberg and executive member Warren Meeker, thanked the Republic of China for its "compassion and generosity. The Taiwan donation has made possible the saving of thousands of deserving and brave people who otherwise would have perished in misery and agony," it said.
Administrative reform stressing better service to the people and eliminating corrupt practices will be carried out by the government, Premier Sun Yun-suan said.
He made the pledge in addressing the first of six symposiums on local administration sponsored by the Ministry of the Interior.
Premier Sun said the symposiums were conceived as a medium through which the Central Government could listen to the views of government administrators at the grassroots regarding basic socio-economic programs.
The administrative reform program has not yielded significant events, he said, and sought the views of local administrators on the slowness of progress.
"I don't think money is the sole problem," Sun remarked. "Possibly the shortage of competent hands is to blame for the poor showing of some basic programs."
Fifty-five township and district chiefs from mountainous regions and outlying islands attended the first symposium.
One suggested that the government do away with elections at the township and district level and appoint administrative chiefs. In his view, election at the local level tends to create factionalism.
Another township chief suggested the government stop sending erring public functionaries to remote regions as a form of punishment. The practice has a demoralizing effect on civil servants working at that level, he said.
The Premier, who speaks with a Shantung accent, said he was impressed by the fluency of the Mandarin spoken by administrative chiefs from tribal reserves and offshore islets and by the relevancy of their suggestions. He promised to have their suggestions compiled and referred to the competent authorities for study.
The government will try to raise farm income, help farmers build better homes and undertake a health insurance program, Premier Sun told village chiefs in another exchange of views.
Helping the farmer make more money is a basic government policy, Sun said. Since one can't raise unit yield drastically, one has to lower production cost on the one hand and reduce the farming population on the other to raise rural income, he said.
Farms must be mechanized and enlarged to maintain the production level with fewer farmers, Sun said. The government may buy up farmland that tillers are leaving and sell it to those who want to be farmers.
The 1949 land reform began by reducing the size of farms and putting them in the hands of tillers. Now farms must be enlarged to permit mechanization. But the government doesn't mean to concentrate ownership of farmlands in a few hands.
Most farm families have such appliances as rice cookers, refrigerators and TV sets. But housing does not compare with that of the cities.
Premier Sun proposed standard plans for farmhouses to be drawn up by government designers. These will be made available to farmers. Some standard farmhouses may be built to serve as examples.
Health insurance will be extended to farmers within 10 years. The government may start on a geographical basis or with limited services.
Free China and South Korea should step up their cooperation to meet future challenges and overcome present difficulties growing out of protectionism invoked by the industrialized countries, Economic Minister K.S. Chang said.
He was addressing the opening ceremony of the 12th Joint Conference of the Councils for Sino-Korean Economic Cooperation and Korea-China Economic Cooperation in Taipei.
Minister Chang said trade between the countries rose substantially in 1979.
He urged industrial leaders of the countries to continue cooperative efforts to overcome problems in the new year.
Ambassador Ock Man Ho of Korea cited Sino-Korean cooperation and urged industrialists to record even greater achievements.
Speaking in his capacity as a co-chairman of the conference, C.F. Koo said both countries will face new challenges in the 1980s.
Cooperation is needed, he said, in technology, manpower and exchange of experience and capital.
Competition can be minimized to the advantage of both lands.
Choi Tai Sup, Koo's Korean counterpart, urged the countries to explore new resources in third countries.
Cooperation with South Africa will be broadened in industrial, agricultural, mining, fishing, scientific and technological fields, Economic Minister K.S. Chang said.
He made the statement on his return from the Sino-South African economic conference in Pretoria.
The countries agreed to elevate the annual conference to the ministerial level.
Wide-ranging cooperation projects were discussed at Pretoria. Both countries are feeling the pinch of keen competition from other countries.
Conferees discussed the Chinese plan to buy coal and uranium from South Africa and the possible opening of air traffic.
South African government and business leaders will come to Taiwan for talks with Chinese counterparts.
Two-way trade between the countries is on the rise and reached about US$300 million last year.
The Republic of China is rated as the Free World's 12th strongest nation by Dr. Ray Cline, a leading American strategist and expert on international affairs.
Dr. Cline, director of .the Center for Strategic and International Studies at Georgetown University, disclosed the rating on a visit to Taiwan.
Speaking on "The Evaluation of World Power" to the Mainland Recovery Planning Commission, the American scholar said his evaluation was based on population resources, economic activities, political leadership, political will and strategic forces.
He complimented the ROC for having a "dynamic and energetic" population, a viable economy that propels the ROC into a world power status in terms of GNP and productivity, outstanding political leadership and strong national will.
Dr. Cline called on non-Communist countries, especially those of the West, to unite under U.S. leadership to protect democracy and prevent the drift into military weakness.
He proposed an alliance of 10 core maritime countries to ensure freedom of the seas and access to international resources, including minerals, ocean products and energy.
The ocean-linked nations would include Canada, Great Britain, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Australia, New Zealand and the Republics of Korea and China. The last two were described as "two small but strong, dynamic states sympathetic with American policies and processes, and eager to cooperate with the United States so they can get American assistance in their resolute defense of their very existence against militant, totally hostile neighboring countries. Their security is closely related to the security of Japan."
Dr. Cline continued: "With just these 10 states closely allied with the United States, the alliance would have in its ranks the power of about one-third of the whole world; it would be twice as strong as the Soviet Union and the Communist states allied with it."
Development of agriculture will continue as a cornerstone of the reconstruction policy of the Chinese government, Premier Sun Yun-suan said.
Participants in the second National Development Seminar for 1979 got a warm welcome from President Chiang Ching-kuo. (File photo)
From the economic, social and political points of view, agriculture must continue to play an important role, he told the second 1979 National Development Seminar.
The panel on agricultural development adopted resolutions urging the government to take the following measures:
- Assure reasonable profits to farmers as an incentive.
- Protect and develop agricultural resources.
- Improve the rural environment.
- Provide incentives for young people.
- Make plans on a long-range basis.
Conferees urged the government to enter into cooperation with leading agricultural research institutes of the world and to share experience with other developing countries.
At a discussion on political affairs, Premier Sun pledged the government will give close attention to comments and suggestions.
Participants in the panel on mass media adopted resolutions calling for:
- Dispatch of letters, newspapers and products to the Chinese mainland.
- Contacting of Chinese Communist students studying abroad.
- Radio and television programs for mainlanders.
Participants urged the government to invite foreigners and overseas Chinese who have visited the Chinese mainland to come to Taiwan.
Mass communications media were urged to report the mainland situation to people in the free areas of Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen and Matsu.
More than a third of workers surveyed by the Provincial Government don't want to work overtime. Nearly a half don't want to put in more than two hours extra daily.
The Provincial Department of Social Affairs conducted a survey of 1,034 factories all over Taiwan.
Of the 6,195 workers interviewed, 99.34 per cent were satisfied with labor-management relations.
More than three-fifths (76.4 per cent) said their wages were sufficient; 39.31 per cent didn't want to work overtime; 40.95 per cent would work overtime but not more than two hours a day.
Other findings:
- 92.84 per cent want holidays off.
- More than 70 per cent are familiar with labor insurance regulations. Most put high hopes on labor unions to improve relations with management.
- Most need better housing and seek better working conditions.
Taiwan will have 19.9 telephones per 100 persons by 1981, compared with 12.2 at the end of 1978, according to the revised Six-Year Telecommunications Development Program. The program calls for an additional NT$17.6 billion, bringing the six-year total to NT$86.8 billion.
Phones to be installed will total 2.56 million instead of the original 2.185 million, boosting the island's count to 3.57 million.
New telephone households will total 2.62 million.
Other highlights of the revised program:
- 50,470 new automatic long-distance connections instead of the original 49,600.
- 59,970 new long-distance channels instead of the original 42,610.
- 28,398 new international connections instead of the original 23,400.
- 1,295 instead of 1,115 international channels.
- Increased functions for the Telecommunications Laboratory.
- Acceleration of vocational training for 10,000 workers.
Government will build more than a quarter of a million housing units between 1982 and 1989 and encourage private builders to construct at least 20,000 additional units annually during the same period, Interior Minister Chiu Chuang-huan said.
Addressing the Legislative Yuan Committee on International Affairs, Chiu said the target for the eight-year period is 256,675 units plus a minimum of 160,000 units built with private capital.
Housing construction has been lagging. Chiu blamed this on the land shortage, inadequate funds and bureaucratic inefficiency.
Chiu said 1 per cent of forest land might be used for housing.
Chiu reported there were 1,572 labor unions with 976,100 members as of last June. He said the government had ordered local governments and the three Export Processing Zones to see that factories with 100 workers or more were represented by labor unions by the end of 1980.
At the end of last August, 2,191,516 workers were covered by the labor insurance program. Insurance payments had reached NT$21,415 million by the end of June.
Minister Chiu said there was a slight increase in crimes during the first half of last year with the report of 24,724 cases.
Over 86 per cent of the crimes were solved, an improvement of some 2 per cent compared with the like period of the previous year.
Nuclear safety measures have been taken by the Taiwan Power Company.
L.K. Chen, board chairman, said, "We have done our best to take preventive measures.
Taipower will follow the guidance of a report on the Three Mile Island incident in the United States, he said.
Taipower has sent technicians to the United States to collect materials on the incident for reference in assuring the safety of Taiwan nuclear plants.
The company has spent US$4.5 million to initiate the simulator training program for its operators and technicians.
Operators and technicians of the first nuclear power plant in northern Taiwan passed strict tests before assignments. All are college graduates with at least three years of power plant experience.
"Our training program," Chen said, "is as strict as that of the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. I am sure our men are qualified and competent."
The first nuclear power plant, which cost NT$25.4 billion, has two boiling water reactors and two generators with an installed capacity of 636,000 kilowatts each.
The first generator went on stream in April, 1978, and the second in July of 1979. Up to the end of last October, the two generators have produced some 8 billion kilowatt hours of electricity.
The second nuclear plant also will have two boiling water reactors and two generators, each with installed capacity of 985,000 kilowatts. The first generator will be ready for tests at the end of 1980 and the second one by early 1982.
The third plant will have two pressurized reactors and two generators, each generator with installed capacity of 951,000 kilowatts. The first generator will be ready for test runs in mid-1983 and the second a year later.
When all three nuclear plants are completed m 1984, they will have capacity exceeding 5.1 million kilowatts, or about 30 per cent of the Taipower total.
Chen said Taipower has obtained a sufficient supply of uranium to last through 1987.