Taiwan Today

The Legislative Yuan set the stage for resumption of the suspended parliamentary elections this year by enacting the Statute Governing the Election and Recall of Public Officeholders.

The law became effective upon its promulgation by President Chiang Ching-kuo.

The Legislative Yuan restored a clause which it had previously deleted from the draft presented by the Cabinet.

This provision says that a court of law may invalidate the election of a candidate if he holds campaign meetings of his own during the period when these are to be sponsored by the election office.

The motion to restore the clause was made by 119 members on the ground that deletion would weaken the law's punitive force.

Other highlights of the 113-article statute include the following:

- The election committee will be appointed by the President from nominees of the Premier. The committee will be headed by a chairman and serve for three years without pay.

- Servicemen, police officers, students and election officials may not be denied the right to become candidates.

- Political meetings will be sponsored by the government and by the candidates themselves. Government-sponsored meetings will follow those organized by the candidates.

Campaign literature must bear the name and address of the print shop.

- Campaign activities shall not include demon­strations, the exploding of firecrackers or inter­ference with the campaign activities of other candidates.

- Candidates resorting to violence or engaging in public demonstrations will be subject to prison term raging from seven years to life.

- Candidates who accept campaign funds from foreign individuals or organizations may be punished by prison terms of from one to seven years.

- Candidates who offer money or other materi­al rewards for votes face prison terms of up to five years and/or fines of NT$150,000.

- Voters may initiate recall of public officeholders through the election committee after the first year in office.

- A special court will handle all election suits. Appeals must be filed within 20 days, and the appellate court shall render its decision within three months.

With passage of the law, parliamentary elections suspended immediately after the U.S. announce­ment of derecognition of the Republic of China will be resumed in December.

The Cabinet said the government may make more places available in the upcoming elections. Previously, 104 new members were to be elected in the Republic of China's unique tricameral parliamentary system — 38 to the Legislative Yuan, 56 to the National Assembly and 10 to the Control Yuan.

President Chiang Ching-kuo called on government agencies to work out long-term measures to increase the energy supply while reducing wasteful consumption.

Presiding over the biweekly fiscal and economic conference, the President said implementation of such measures are essential to the nation's economic well-being in the context of the present energy supply situation.

He described the energy problem as the key to economic growth and stability.

President Chiang gave the following instruc­tions in connection with economic development:

- To assure continued export growth, investment should be encouraged in the manufacture of products with good sales potential. Efforts should be made to diversify exports, expand markets and strengthen competitiveness.

- Ways should be devised to dampen inflation psychology among manufacturers and consumers alike so as to maintain stability of the price structure.

- Steps should be taken to solve agricultural problems. Purchase of surplus rice from farmers at a guaranteed price should be continued to assure them of a net profit of 20 per cent.

- Second-phase land reform is a long-range program, and planning should be started immedi­ately.

Speaking on the same occasion, Economic Vice Minister Chang Hsuin-shuen said the government will control the planted area of the second rice crop this year so as to prevent overproduction.

Farmers will be encouraged to plant more sugar cane and other cash crops now enjoying good prices.

Prison terms for the eight Formosa magazine leaders convicted by the court of the Taiwan Garrison Command of involvement in the Kao­hsiung incident of December 10, 1979, were up­held on appeal.

Meanwhile, 801 college professors condemned the riot in an open letter entitled "To Perpetuate the Life of the Nation and Ensure the Well-being of Our Offspring." The letter said: "We, the undersigned, a group of college pro­fessors, have always taken a deep interest in affairs of state. After learning of the sedition case of Huang Hsin-chieh and others, we became concerned that the democratic foundation, which we have worked hard to establish for more than 30 years, may be destroyed. We watched the legal proceed­ings in the case with heavy hearts. Now that the court decision has been made known, we wish to earnestly express to our fellow countrymen these viewpoints.

"With our responsibility to Chinese history and our national conscience, we cannot tolerate any twisting of our national aims. Moreover, we are opposed to the ungrateful and traitorous action of deliberately trying to separate Taiwan from the Chinese mainland.

"The dignity of national law must be safeguarded, and the demands of justice must be satisfied. Those who resort to violence, thereby endanger­ing the nation's existence, disturb social peace and damage the public interest, must be held responsible for their actions.

"Based on our understanding and ardent love of democracy, we cannot agree with those convicted in the case who engaged in such practices as advocating mistakenly the 'brink of violence;' attempting to instigate the masses; threatening, coercing and attacking security personnel; and defying and violating the laws of the country. We absolutely cannot agree with these acts, which are incompatible with the principles of democracy.

"Now that the criminals have been punished according to the law, we feel sorry for these misled people and their families.

"The course of democracy is gradual and peaceful. Those who use violence under the cloak of democracy will become the enemies of democracy.

"Reform cannot be achieved by obstructing the principles of democracy and the rule of law, or by threatening the existence of the nation. Those who shout slogans demanding reform, while at the same time covertly engaging in subversion will be rejected by their countrymen.

"We fully understand that Huang Hsin-chieh and others have been punished in accordance with the law, not because they advocated democracy or reform, but rather because of the violation of the law under the pretense of democracy.

"We are firmly convinced that the idea of 'Taiwan independence' is contrary to the national cause.

"The Chinese people are proud of their virtue of always being mindful of their origins. However, there are now people who want to cut off their links with Chinese history which dates back thousand of years.

"The contrast between both sides of the Taiwan Straits in the past more than 30 years has proved the superiority of the system of the Three Principles of the People. As we are confidently making further advances, we really do not understand why some people use 'fear' (of a Red Chinese attack) as an excuse to shake off their responsibility to history.

"From a practical point of view, 'Taiwan inde­pendence' is a blind alley and represents a closed, ostrich policy. Not only can it not gain even an ignoble, temporary peace, but it will also cause an external crisis and internal social chaos. We are distressed to learn that some overseas 'Taiwan independence elements,' willing to serve as the Chinese Communists' tools, are attempting to bring about external interference.

"We think politicians should be mindful of their responsibility to history and insist on national ideals. They should not let geography restrict their ambitions and paralyze their souls.

"This is our bastion for mainland recovery and national revival — not Vietnam nor Iran. Any attempt at division and sabotage will not gain support. Any pretense at instigation and deception will find no response. Any attempt to take advantage of gaps in international politics, or resort to violence, cannot be successful.

"We wish to inform foreign governments and peoples that the Republic of China's goal in the past 30 years or so has been to seek freedom and unification of China and insist on Justice and world peace. We need friendly cooperation based on goodwill from other countries. We will solemnly reject any interference or malicious criticism with twisting of facts designed to attain certain goals.

"We wish to advise the government that although it has made noteworthy achievements in the past, in dealing with progressive society where people are always asking for more, it must put in special efforts and accept constructive public opinion. It should seek further advances based on the strength of knowledge and moral courage so as to satisfy the aspirations and needs of the people; at the present time of difficulties, it should also unite all the people in breaking through the looming darkness so as to lay a firm foundation for establishing a new China based on the Three Princi­ples of the People.

"We believe all our present efforts are being directed towards perpetuating the lifeline of the nation, and ensuring the well-being of our offspring for generations to come."

The Taipei District Court sentenced all but one of 33 defendants in the Kaohsiung incident of last December 10 to prison terms ranging from 10 months to 6 years and 8 months. The one acquittal was of Chiu Ming-chiang, who maintained he was at home in Pingtung at the time of the riot.

Eight leaders of the riot previously had been sentenced by the Taiwan Garrison Command court to terms ranging from 12 years to life.

The longest sentence was handed out to Chen Po-wen, a member of the Formosa magazine foun­dation. Fan Cheng-yu, also a foundation member, received a sentence of 6 years and 6 months. Chen was accused of inciting the crowd to violence, making threats and destroying military property. Fan was accused of inciting, threatening and possession of military weapons.

One minor, 17-year-old Hung Yu-fa, received a sentence of 18 months suspended for three years.

Lighter sentences went to those who merely followed the orders of ringleaders and did not par­ticipate in the incitement.

The indictment said the defendants were part of a mob which gathered in Kaohsiung and paraded through the streets without receiving permission of the authorities. One hundred and eighty-three security personnel were injured in the subsequent melee.

Wooden clubs and torches had been prepared in advance, the prosecutor claimed. Led by the eight ringleaders, the defendants marched along several Kaohsiung streets and defied commands to disperse.

Mobsters were instigated to charge the police and military police. Clubs, torches, iron bars, bricks and rocks were used as weapons.

The eight ringleaders were charged with sedition and were therefore tried by the court of the Taiwan Garrison Command under the provisions of martial law. The others were tried on lesser counts and therefore were brought before the civil tribunal.

"Energy is our lifeline and we must make every effort to conserve it," Premier Y.S. Sun told the people.

He sounded this call after hearing a report from Economic Minister K.S. Chang on the government policy of conserving energy.

Most of the energy resources Taiwan needs are imported and they are not easy to obtain, the Premier said. "The people have the obligation to conserve and avoid wasting energy. Conservation of energy is our long-term national policy."

Last year, 82.4 per cent of Taiwan's energy resources were imported, Minister Chang said. Of the total, 72 per cent was crude oil, 12 per cent was coal and 6 per cent was natural gas. Genera­tion of electricity accounted for 10 per cent, including 6 per cent from nuclear plants and 4 per cent from hydroelectric plants.

The trade deficit in March was due to the rising cost of crude oil and other sources of energy, Chang said. Taiwan had a trade deficit of US$226.5 million for March.

Premier Sun noted that the government has been adopting energy conservation measures but with results far short of the goal. He instructed the Ministries of Economic Affairs and Interior and other government agencies to follow government guidelines to save energy and at the same time to conduct research and development on new sources of energy.

The highlights of the Premier's instructions:

- Price of diesel fuel is too low, resulting m the loss of railway traffic and benefiting privately owned bus companies.

- Home electricity use, especially lighting, should be brought under strict control to avoid waste.

- Attention should be given air and water pollution arising from the use of energy.

- Building designs must conserve energy.

- Research and development of solar energy and other alternatives should be spurred.

Minister Chang reported the government is increasing imports of coal from the United States, Canada, South Africa and Australia. This year's imports will amount to US$100 million.

A 10-year contract has been signed with U.S. suppliers for coal worth US$900 million. The Taiwan Power Company will make big investments in Canadian coal mining to assure a sufficient supply.

Great importance is attached to the development of water resources, Premier Sun said.

In a written message to the Second Congress of the Asian-Pacific Regional Division of the International Association for Hydraulic Research and the International Conference on Water Resources Development, the Premier said water resources development is one of the important programs of his administration.

Currently, he continued, "we are pushing technological research related to water resources with a view to enhancing its utilization efficiency on the one hand and meeting future needs on the other."

Taiwan has built a number of dams for farm irrigation and flood control and built many hy­droelectric projects.

Planning of the Feitsuiku Reservoir project is in the final stage and construction is expected to start by the end of this year. The reservoir will begin to fill in two years and the whole project will be completed in five years at a cost of around NT$5.5 billion. The reservoir will supply sufficient water for the Taipei area.

Economic Minister K.S. Chang said the world's energy problem is worsening and water is playing an increasingly important role. However, there is a lag between research and application of water resources, he said.

Greater efforts are required to shorten the time lag and derive maximum benefits from available resources.

The three-day congress was attended by more than 200 experts from the United States, Britain. Canada, France, West Germany, Denmark, Australia, Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand, Japan, South Korea, Sri Lanka and the Republic of China.

Geothermal energy may provide 10 per cent of Taiwan's electricity by the end of this century, Dr. S.S. Shu, chairman of the National Science Council, predicted.

The tapping of geothermal energy is part of the country's blueprint to develop alternative energy sources.

Terming geothermal generation the "most sig­nificant energy resource indigenous to Taiwan," Dr. Shu and NSC have undertaken a project including geological and geophysical exploration and pros­pecting, reservoir assessment, drilling technology and ground preparation, heat transfer and power generation by low-pressure turbines.

Dr. Shu reported that NSC is building its second experimental geothermal power plant. He said tests will begin in the mid-1980s.

He also cited plans for tapping wind power, oceanthermal differential energy and ocean-current energy.

Dr. Shu was speaking at a five-day energy conservation workshop of Chinese and Americans.

Facts speak for themselves, James Soong, director general of Government Information Of­fice, told the Legislative Yuan. "Fact is more eloquent than false publicity," he said.

He reported to a joint session of the Interior, Foreign Affairs and Education Committees on plans for a publicity campaign by the Chinese Communists in American newspapers.

The Chinese Communists plan trade fairs in San Francisco, Chicago and New York from September 13 to 21. On September 7, they plan a 72-page supplement in 10 leading newspapers of the United States with combined circulation of about 6 million copies.

The supplement would cost US$7.2 million in color and US$5.76 million in black and white, Soong estimated. "They may try to get financial support from American firms trading with the Chinese mainland," he said, "but in the final analysis, the money will come from the Chinese masses."

Red China has squandered money earned with the blood and sweat of the mainland people in what Soong called the ocean of American newspapers. In his opinion, it is a useless waste, but the Chinese Communists seem to believe that if "you tell a thousand lies, people will be lulled into be­lieving they are truths."

In the Republic of China, Soong said, the Government spends money on construction pro­jects rather than publicity. "Past experience has taught us that visits by media representatives pay richer dividends of publicity," he said. "They will report to their readers what they have seen in Taiwan. The effect is more lasting and the friendship built up in this fashion will come to our aid in time of need," he added.

Republics of China and Korea and Japan are as important a segment of the maritime com­munity as Western Europe and should address themselves to unity, General Richard Stilwell, former commander-in-chief of the United Nations Command in Korea, declared.

The retired four-star general also noted that various obstacles stand in the way of closer collab­oration among the three, which are threatened by Chinese Communist, Russian and North Korean military expansion.

General Stilwell visited Taipei to attend a forum on the organization of sea routes.

The 63-year-old native of Buffalo, New York, spoke highly of the position of the Republic of China. "The Republic of China has a strategic importance deriving from the immutable facts of geography," he said. "Among other things, it sits astride the major shipping routes that connect the free nations of Northeast Asia to the Middle East, Africa and indeed, the Western Hemisphere.

"It is worth noting that it is only one-hour flight by jet from Taiwan to Northern Luzon or to the Ryukyu Islands.

"But its real strategic importance is that it is the home of 18 million wonderful people with high intelligence, a magnificent work ethic and a firm dedication to the freedom and dignity of men.

"In other words, a very key asset of the free world."

The veteran of 42 years in the military said the ROC, ROK and Japan share the same destiny. "They are already linked economically," he said.

General Stilwell said that from the geostrategic point of view, the ROC's problems are best approached on a regional basis.

But the timing and method of collaboration, he said, would best be worked out with American understanding and support.

Scholars and experts including General Richard Stilwell established the Republic of China Sea Lanes of Communication Study Group, according to Dr. Han Lih-wu, publisher of the Asia and World Forum, which recently sponsored a symposium on sealanes of communication.

The standing committee consists of Dr. Han; General Wego Chiang, commander-in-chief of the Combined Services Force; Dr. Tsai Wei-ping, director of the Institute of Studies of International Relations of National Chengchi University: Vice Admiral Ke Tun-hua, adviser on strategy of the Presidential Office; and Professor Kuan Chung, editor-in-chief of the Forum.

Dr. Han said the group will study the security of sealanes of communication in the Asian-Pacific area. "It will keep in contact with similar study groups in the United States, Korea and Japan," he added.

In the symposium held at the offices of the Forum, Dr. Han pointed to instability in the Asian­-Pacific region resulting from Soviet advances, Chinese Communist moves and withdrawal of American strength. He urged the free nations of the area to secure sealanes which are vitally related to their economies.

Dr. Han said study groups are needed to seek coordination and cooperation among the govern­ments.

General Stilwell said American strength has great impact in the Asian-Pacific region, but that cooperation and coordination are required to protect the sealanes. He suggested that special attention be given to Communist Chinese moves. Peiping and Moscow seek control of the Asian­ Pacific region, he added.

Members of the Council for Agricultural Planning and Development have suggested to the Ministry of Economic Affairs that farmers in the area south of Changhua be encouraged to switch from rice to maize and sugar cane for the second crop period.

Dr. Robert Lee, chairman of CAPD, advanced the proposal during a briefing for President Chiang Ching-kuo.

The planted area of the first rice crop was 330,659 hectares, 2.4 per cent less than the first crop last year but 3.6 per cent above the target. Because of favorable weather and other factors, the harvest is expected to be good.

Oversupply will hurt rice farmers, Dr. Lee said, although the government buys rice at a fixed price when the market price is lower.

Dr. Lee suggested that 20,000 hectares of paddy south of Changhua be planted to maize and sugar cane. The government would buy the maize and cane. The cost of about NT$450 million would be less than the estimated NT$770 million required if the government bought excess rice and exported it.

Tax incentives are being offered to farmers to buy land.

If a new purchase raises total ownership to less than three hectares, tax will be exempted for five years on the newly acquired portion.

If a new purchase raises ownership to more than three hectares, tax will be exempted on that part of the newly acquired portion with the highest assessed value. For instance, a farmer might buy two hectares of land, raising his ownership to four hectares. He could choose the higher grade portion of his new land for tax exemption.

Farmers can also obtain loans to pay the land value increment tax.

Ten-year loans are offered for the purchase of farmland.

Passed by the Legislative Yuan was a law providing for the welfare for the handicapped.

The Ministry of the Interior will be in charge at the national level, Departments of Social Affairs at provincial and special municipal levels and city or county governments at local levels.

The dignity and legal rights of the handi­capped are assured of protection.

Governments may encourage private individuals to open homes for the handicapped. They may offer guidance, medical services, rehabilitation and care to those with certified handicaps.

Handicapped persons will receive a 50 per cent discount for air, ground and sea travel.

Government enterprises with 3 per cent of handicapped employees will be given special encouragement.

As defined in the law, the handicapped are the blind, the deaf the dumb, those with speech difficulties, the deformed the mentally retarded and others classified as handicapped by the Ministry of the Interior.

The act is based on Article 155 of the Con­stitution, which says: "The State, in order to promote social welfare, shall establish a social insurance system. To the aged and the infirm who are unable to earn a living, and to victims of unusual calamities, the State shall give appropriate assistance and relief."