I assumed the premiership as a result of the President's nomination and your vote of concurrence. The shouldering of such a heavy administrative burden at a time of national difficulty made me deeply apprehensive. I shall follow the wise leadership and basic national policy of the President and contribute all my knowledge and my unremitting efforts so as to follow the guideline of "sacrificing for the country and serving the people." Only in doing so can I expect to deserve your support and live up to all that the people - military and civilian alike, and at home and abroad - expect from the Executive Yuan.
Today I have come here to report on our administrative guidelines. I hope you will offer me your guidance, and especially your continuous encouragement, cooperation and support.
Our national policy is one of continuity and coherence. My predecessor submitted to your esteemed Yuan the Administrative Guidelines for Fiscal 1979 beginning July 1. Without question, the basic national policy and the government's established guide lines must be continuously carried out. It is my view that:
- Starting from the original firm and sound foundation, our endeavors must be maintained with fortitude, faith and determination. We believe we can move ahead in keeping with the basic understanding that "progress has no limit" and that we can succeed if we correctly conceive that "success lies in our own hands."
- Many ongoing tasks need to be accomplished expeditiously; many established programs and tasks now in the planning stage need to be implemented. Our wisdom, capability and faith will be tested if we are to break through our many difficulties, hardships and dangers. We are prepared to accept any challenge to carry out our duties and move steadily forward to open up a new horizon.
The present world situation is tumultuous and the international countercurrent of appeasement is running high. Consequently, justice and righteousness are not prevailing and there are no clear distinctions between friend and foe and right and wrong. The Republic of China remains in the democratic camp and faithful to its anti-Communist stand. We are therefore able to maintain our steadfast position and become more active in our role of an outpost safeguarding the security of the Asian and Pacific region.
All the people of the nation must understand that our role in the international community is to serve as a monolith in the rapids and assure peace for tens of thousands of years. Although our international position is difficult, our stance is upright, our approaches are honest and our intention is selfless. The guiding principles of our foreign policy will be:
- To insist on steadfast anti-Communism as our basic national policy. We shall unite with all other democratic forces by up holding justice and will consolidate and strengthen our anti Communist bastion. We shall develop the functions of total diplomacy with vigor and never change in our position of rejecting the Chinese Communists totally, never compromising or negotiating with them and thus shattering utterly their international united front intrigues.
- Steadfastly remaining in the democratic camp in keeping with the principles of independence, sovereignty, equality and reprocity. We shall vigorously develop our relations with foreign countries through fairness and fidelity.
- To do our best to cement friendly ties and increase cooperation with the United States in particular and other countries with which we have diplomatic relations. The maintenance of Sino-American friendship accords with our mutual interest and is closely related to the peace and prosperity of Asia and even the world. We shall develop economic, trade, cultural, educational, scientific, technological and other substantial relations with all democratic countries and promote cooperation with the free world. We shall augment our information program regarding the freedom, stability and prosperity of the Republic of China and alert the world to the fact that any appeasement of the Chinese Communists will bring endless troubles to Asia and the world.
- The Republic of China has been transformed from an aid-receiving country into a country that can provide technical cooperation to other countries. At present, we have 24 teams providing various technical services in 19 countries. Their service and spirit have won the heartfelt friendship of the people of their host nations. The government will continue this established policy and enlarge the overseas technical cooperation program.
In his inaugural address, the President told us that the objectives in our present common undertaking of recovering and reconstructing the country are the increase of national strength, improvement of the livelihood of our people, expansion of the functions of constitutional rule and the assurance of honest and competent government to implement the Three Principles of the People and recover the mainland. These instructions provide the supreme guiding principles for the administration. We shall endeavor to carry them out in the light of our country's long-range goals and the present situation. Today I wish to report on the highlights of administrative guidelines based on these instructions. I shall report to you on the details when I submit the annual administrative program.
First, the increasing of national strength. In national defense, the military policy of "elite forces" is being implemented. The equipment of the armed forces will be expeditiously augmented and modernized; domestic production of important weapons and military goods will be encouraged with emphasis on the development of advanced armaments; the organization and training of reserve forces will be strengthened; the bastion of national revival will be consolidated to assure the security of the nation. In economic affairs, we are following the policy of seeking growth with stability and shall review and enlarge the growth targets of the Six-Year Economic Development Plan and complete the Ten Major Construction Projects. We shall also plan the implementation of the Twelve Projects, continue to promote the rural reconstruction program, improve land utilization, improve the tax system, facilitate financing and maintain the good investment climate, help develop capital- and technology-intensive industries, provide guidance for the development of medium and small enterprises, diversify export products and markets, and seek more balanced trade. To assure the development of national defense and technology-intensive industries, we shall provide sufficient funds, employ specialists and expand research and development to provide the applied technology that will reinforce the potential strength of the nation.
National defense construction and economic construction are, however, no more than the framework for strengthening our national forces. We must integrate development of national defense and the economy with the development of politics, culture and society so that all the people of the country can contribute their knowledge and their strength. Unity of purpose is a formidable force. Unity of purpose and common endeavor are assurances of increasingly augmented national strength.
Second, the improvement of the people's livelihood. The livelihood of the people covers a great deal of ground and involves many problems. The citizen of today seeks harmony in the levels of his livelihood and his culture and the coordination of materialism and spiritual factors. We shall therefore first strive to maintain a stable level of commodity prices and reduce the income gap. Besides, we shall raise the quality of the people's standard of living and step up the tempo of public housing construction to assure a comfortable life. We shall also regulate the supply and demand of the labor force and resolve the problem of jobs for youth by encouraging vocational training and providing assistance to job seekers. To promote the health of the people, we shall improve medical care and environmental sanitation in remote and rural areas, augment pharmaceutical controls and prevent public hazards. We shall cultivate good citizens armed with traditional culture and modem knowledge through the improvement of primary and junior high school education. We shall promote welfare, safety and sanitation for workers; increase the pay of government employees, servicemen and public school teachers step by step. We shall promote traffic safety and improve urban traffic order. We shall raise the level of relief and social services, augment tourist facilities and promote recreational activities. We shall try to raise sufficient funds for these programs and carry them out stage by stage.
To enhance the people's livelihood, those who serve the administration must give priority to the public interest. This is to say that we must be worrying about or enjoying the same things the people are worrying about or enjoying. We are well aware that the objective of construction is to modernize the nation and that the purpose of life is to enhance the welfare of humankind. We believe that the government and people ate a single body and that those at home and abroad are of one mind. This means we can create together the fruits of construction and enjoy together the ensuing sense of well-being.
Third, expanding the functions of constitutional rule, which is the cornerstone of freedom and democracy and provides the foundation for Dr. Sun Yat-sen's Principle of Democracy. We must avoid false and vainglorious con duct so as to enlarge the functions of constitutional rule and cultivate a law-abiding and honest-work spirit. We know that democracy and the rule of law constitute a single entity and that freedom and order are closely related. Consequently, in carrying out constitutional rule we must develop fully the spirit of democratic government and eschew the abuse of freedom. We must live up to the true meaning of democratic life by earnestly implementing the rule of law. Specifically, we need to establish ourselves as a model of democracy by correcting social immorality, continuously reforming political practice and assuring good judicial practice. We shall continue to carry out local self-government, perfect our elections and encourage the people to contribute their knowledge and capabilities as they participate in political affairs. They thus can develop the democratic system in the course of practice and strengthen the foundation of constitutional rule.
I wish to say sincerely that under constitutional rule the Executive Yuan will always respect the power of your esteemed Yuan and place high value on your opinions. In the last more than 10 years, I have often benefited when your Yuan was examining bills and questioning me. From now on I hope to have your continuing and timely counsel so that I can correct my shortcomings. I am convinced that the contacts and cooperation between the two Yuan provide the basis for common trust and mutual confidence and fonn a pathway that leads to enlargement of constitutional functions.
Fourth, the establishment of honest and competent government, which is a prerequisite of attaining a government of great endeavors. This is also the basic step in winning the people's confidence and assuring unity with them. First, we shall require that government functionaries of all levels further renovate their lives, make daily progress in learning and work hard. The 10 renovation requirements for government employees laid down by President Chiang Ching-kuo during his tenure as Premier will remain in force and be strictly observed by me and my colleagues.
The simplification of administrative procedures and provision of convenient services to the people point the way to honest and competent government. At present, in some government organizations at the lower level, efficiency is low and service is poor, either because of the shortage of employees or because of the lack of supervision. Deviations are often found in the implementation of policy. We shall try to find the difficulties and make correction.
The next problem is the poor discipline of government employees who have the most frequent direct contacts with the people. This is often the cause of public complaint. We shall give attention to the workload of all employees and try to improve their quality, payment and sense of honor. At the same time, we shall strengthen inspection and supervision. Excellence will be rewarded and ineptitude will be punished.
Honorable members: The foregoing important administrative guidelines are only the major ones. We await your counsel. Some of these points have been raised in interpellations of the past. In the future, the Executive Yuan and its subordinate agencies will make plans and examinations together and encourage one another to carry them out effectively and thoroughly. From now on, every administrative functionary, regardless of rank or position, must possess the following three concepts:
- Concept of service. The central requirement in the administrative conduct of the functionaries of a modem government is "to serve society and benefit the people." The rendering of service calls for sacrifice and dedication. The functionary must be prepared to treat others as he would treat himself and put the public interest above his own. If the government provides more satisfactory service to the people, the people will give more enthusiastic support to the government. If government and people are dedicated to each other, they will be able to move ahead quickly and in the same direction.
- Concept of responsibility. National recovery and development are everyone's responsibility and everyone should take up his share of the historical, cultural, national and social obligation. A government employee whose duty is to provide service and benefits to the people should fulfill his duties, serve as the model for the people, regard public affairs as his own, put the interest of the nation above his own, understand his responsibility clearly and carry it out competently.
- Concept of efficiency. In an age of scientific advance and keen competition, findings of today's science of administration and the spirit of research and development must be applied in the tasks of administering the government. The main points include, first, the delegation of power. We must examine the current situation and strengthen means of administrative implementation. We must stress that those who have the power also have the responsibility, and that power and responsibility should balance each other. After delegating power, we should examine the situation again to make sure that there are no deviations or insufficiencies in implementation. Second is the alignment of views. Some deviations in the implementation of government policies may arise from failure to align views regarding different under standings and interpretations of government policies on the part of government and people, the leading policy making agencies and the basic executive agencies. Difficulties in implementation will be unavoidable. Therefore, in the planning and drafting stage of a policy, we shall need to collect enough materials, ask for the opinions of those concerned, respect the advice and experience of experts and scholars, and try to identify the possible difficulties in the way of implementation. After a policy is agreed upon, it should be widely publicized and explained so that all may understand the purpose and content. During the stage of implementation, we should try to determine whether there are difficulties and deviations so they can be remedied in time. In the process of aligning views and determining public opinion, the questions and suggestions of the people's representatives are important. Third, we must arrive at important policies and make plans in accordance with the rules of logic and then study all possible plans and make careful comparison. We shall need to consider fully the required manpower, materials and costs of each plan. Once the plan is made, the problem of manpower, materials and money must be solved in good time. Otherwise, the plan will always remain merely a plan which cannot be implemented by the basic executive agencies.
These three concepts are consistent and coherent, and their functions are complementary. We expect that by reinforcing the idea of serving the people and asserting the importance of the sense of duty, it will be possible to enhance administrative efficiency. With this as the motive force in administrative renovation, national strength can be augmented, the living standard of the people raised, the functions of constitutional government enlarged and the establishment of honest and competent government expedited.
Honorable members: The Chinese Communists face internal and external difficulties. The cut throat power struggle within the command circle of Communist chieftains is pushing their power structure to the brink. They are therefore compelled to tighten the hold of their tyrannical control and carry out their intrigues of united front on a bigger scale in order to deceive the world. We now must be more vigilant than ever before to combat the shabby trickery of Communist infiltration and efforts to divide and conquer. We shall widen our contacts with the more than 23,000,000 overseas Chinese, welcome them to come here for investment and urge them to send their sons and daughters here for schooling. Such efforts will persuade the Chinese in the four seas to turn their hearts in our direction. We shall strengthen our unity with and assistance to compatriots of minority ethnic groups residing in free areas so that we can step up our anti-Communist movement together with them. We are, moreover, devoting ourselves to preparations for the sacred mission of recovering the Chinese mainland and liberating our compatriots, thereby submerging the factional strife of the Chinese Communists under our unity of purpose and single mindedness.
Our mission is sacred and the road before us is rugged and tortuous. We must weld the wills of all our people into one and forge their strength into a single cohesive whole, thus opening the way for the resolution of our difficulties and coming into view of the light at the end of the tunnel. I and all the rest of the administration are exhorting one another to follow the instructions of the President to "sacrifice for the country and serve the people," abide by the law, work practically, contribute all of our wisdom and exert ourselves to the utmost in doing our duty. I should like to take this occasion to call for unity of purpose among the people in working for the common cause. I hope that cooperation and support will be forthcoming in these two respects:
First, everybody should keep in mind the precept that "the success or failure of a nation rests on the shoulders of every citizen," and join in marching together toward the goal of honest and competent government. In addition to seeking government renovation and improvement, everyone should abide by the law and do his own part to assure a political climate of integrity.
Second, our limited resources should be devoted to the consolidation of the defense system and the promotion of economic development. In terms of manpower, we have been confronted with the dislocation of supply and demand. Therefore in store is a full-scale campaign to raise labor productivity and assure the steady increase of everyone's work efficiency and output. This is the most reliable guideline and the pillar of our later efforts to augment national prosperity and power. As for material resources, we shall couple improvement of the living standard with attention to improving the quality of life, reducing excessive waste of material resources and avoiding hedonism. As the late President Chiang Kai-shek told us, "No one may abandon himself to a dissolute and ambitionless life. No ounce of strength may be wantonly wasted." With every hand vigorously applied to the plow, the cause of national development is sure to take root and bear fruit in the long run.
Honorable members: I have made the foregoing report on administrative guidelines only a short while after assuming my post. I should like to have your kind counsel. Then I shall confer with my colleagues on proper measures of implementation and carry these out to the letter. Heavy responsibilities rest on our shoulders, and we know that there is still a long way to go. We shall make a determined effort, marching forward with slow but steady steps to carry out our mission with a vigorous and aggressive spirit. I hope you will share your generous advice with me at any time. Together, we shall join in the common cause to bring about the final triumph of national recovery and reconstruction.