Taiwan Today

Nearly 700 overseas Chinese from 57 countries and areas held a three-day conference in Taipei at the end of February to pledge their support of the free motherland and their opposition to Communist tyranny.

President Chiang Ching-kuo gave a reception for them and urged that they intensify their solidarity against Communism.

The President said:

"The overseas Chinese are the mother of revo­lution. Since the Republic of China's establish­ment, our history has attested to the identity of the 'overseas Chinese' with Chinese 'patriotism.' When we mention the 'overseas Chinese,' we na­turally think of their patriotic conduct; when we consider their patriotic conduct, we naturally think of their participation. This traditional link between the overseas Chinese and patriotism as­sumes especially deep meaning today at a time when our country needs the cooperative endeavors of people at home and abroad in order to survive.

"All of us are clearly aware that the U.S. decision to establish diplomatic relations with the Chinese Communists is a major reverse in mankind's quest for freedom and democracy. This has made our great undertaking of national re­covery and reconstruction more difficult. At the same time, this gives us the opportunity to demon­strate our courage and wisdom and to test our resolve and confidence. So long as we can stand up under this grinding trial, harden our fortitude and augment our strength through self-reliance, we shall be able to overcome any difficulty and reach any goal.

'We are absolutely determined to break through all obstacles, overcome all difficulties, smash all Chinese Communist united front intrigues anywhere in the world, repulse Chinese Communist infiltrations and attempts to divide us, and fortify our anti-Communist camp for national recovery. We shall at the same time confirm the goals of our endeavors, vigorously implement the Three Principles of the People, accelerate national con­struction and finally apply the framework and the fruit of our benevolent rule and construction in this bastion of national recovery to every part of our lost territory. When this is accom­plished, all of our compatriots will be able to join with us in enjoying a free, democratic, peaceful and equalitarian way of life.

"Overseas Chinese all over the world have made unceasing spiritual and physical contribu­tions in carrying out this historic task. Their enthusiasm in making contributions has grown steadily. This great tradition is to be seen in the annual increase in the number of overseas Chinese visitors, their augmented investment in productive enterprises here at home, their insistent and coura­geous resistance to· Chinese Communist united front temptations, and especially in their active moral and physical support of the government in their motherland during the last two months. This stand has touched the chords of each motherland heart and raised the confidence of all.

"The Ten Major Construction Projects have been completed one after another in this bastion of freedom. Now the Twelve New Projects are being successively undertaken. Political renovation and social construction are vigorously promoted. All of this requires the full support of our compatriots abroad. We know that the overseas Chinese and the motherland share the same joys and sorrows, the same honor and humility. A prosperous and powerful motherland is the cher­ished wish of all the overseas Chinese of the earth.

We must treasure and sustain their patriotism and reinforce our efforts for national recovery in the struggle against Communism. We must unite the children of China under the Flag of Blue Sky and White Sun and move forward together in the march to eradicate Communist tyranny, implement freedom and democracy and reconstruct a united and powerful new China.

"At this moment, however, we must give particular attention to the fact that the Chinese Communists are deceiving the world with their clamor for peaceful unification. Actually, they are tightening the screws on our mainland compatriots' hope of freedom. At the same time, they are going to any lengths to step up sabotage and subversion against the free motherland and subject­ing the overseas Chinese to coercion and trickery in their effort to split and weaken us. We must heighten our vigilance and fortify our psychological defenses. All of us know that every Chinese wants the lasting solidarity of the people and peace for the country, true political freedom and democracy, and a stable and affluent life. We must therefore attract the attention of the people of the world and expose the intrigues and hypocrisy of the Communists. When this is accomplished, the Chinese Communists will no longer be able to conceal their evil nature and will be ostracized by the people of the world.

"I should like to take this opportunity to express my admiration for the contributions of the overseas Chinese, to identify our common goals and to explain our faith and determination to all the overseas Chinese of the world. I have confidence that your meeting here will intensify our faith and determination and cement our solidarity in the struggle against Communism and in our efforts to strengthen ourselves through self-reliance. This will elevate the patriotic tradition and glorious accomplishments of the overseas Chinese to a new and brilliant level. Finally, I want to wish all of you happiness and great success for this meeting."

President Chiang Ching-kuo expressed his con­fidence that the target of national recovery will be reached and the nation will win the final victory.

In his capacity as chairman of the Central Committee of the ruling Kuomintang, President Chiang told a party symposium that the nation is facing a new challenge now that the United States has recognized the Communist regime.

"Although we will face many difficulties, the enemy will have even more difficulties," the President said.

"As long as we have courage, determination and perseverance, and as long as we strive persist­ently under the ideal of the Three Principles of the People, I am confident that the final victory will be ours and that our target of revolution and national recovery will be achieved," he said.

President Chiang asked party members to serve the nation and the party. Loyal members should think always of the interests of the nation and the people, he said, and continued:

To reform the party, each member should first reform himself. This reform is not superficial but a sincere resolution from the heart. Party members should always be honest and unselfish. Only a party which is determined to sacrifice will win honor and the trust of the people.

President Chiang stressed the importance of unity and cooperation. He urged the party to strengthen teamwork for combat.

Under the instructions of the national father, Dr. Sun Yat-sen, and the late President Chiang Kai-shek, the President said: "We should follow the revolutionary tradition to accomplish our task thoroughly, perfectly and quickly."

Free China hopes to resume diplomatic rela­tions with friendly countries but will not seek to enter into ties with Communist states, Premier Y.S. Sun said.

Answering a legislator's question, the Premier said the government will still stand pat on its policies of not dealing with any Communist country and not building nuclear weapons.

Sun said the Republic of China maintains substantive relations with more than 140 countries. Economic relations, technical cooperation and cultural exchanges with democratic countries will be stepped up to thwart Red China's efforts to isolate free China.

As for the development of nuclear weapons, the government decided against it after considering "many factors." The Premier did not elaborate.

Two legislators urged the government to adopt a more flexible policy in the wake of the diplomatic rupture with the United States.

Premier Sun said that in the national con­struction of the future, strengthening of military power should keep abreast of improvements in livelihood.

He said the government will make Taiwan into a model province under the Three Principles of the People. The margin between rich and poor has declined from 15 times in 1953 to 4.16 times at present.

Premier Sun told a Sun Yat-sen memorial meeting presided over by Tsai Hung-wen, speaker of the Provincial Assembly, that the government will further improve the services of police, tax and judicial personnel.

He expressed confidence in completing the mission of national recovery, saying that the moving actions of compatriots at home and abroad in response to the severance of Taipei-Washington ties shows that morale is high.

He said that economic growth reached 12.8 percent last year, a record, and that the stability of commodity prices during the Lunar New Year's period was reassuring.

Premier Sun said junior high school attendance was 94.2 percent in 1978 compared with 74.7 percent 10 years ago, and that the primary schools figure is 99.7 percent.

Kaohsiung City will be upgraded to the status of a special municipality directly under the Execu­tive Yuan (cabinet), a university will be established in the south and Chiayi and Hsinchu will be upgraded to the status of provincial level cities, Premier Sun said.

He pointed out such other 1978 administrative achievements as the lifting of the ban on foreign tourism, plans to raise the living standard and improve medical care in remote areas, and the planning of cultural centers for every city and county.

Appointment of Tsai Wei-ping, director of the Institute of International Relations; Chen Chi-ching, chairman of the Chamber of Commerce; and George Wu, president of the American University Club, as members of the Coordination Council for North American Affairs was announced by the government. CCNAA will administer relations with the United States on the basis of officiality.

Tsai, 67, of Nanking, is a graduate of the University of Nanking and University of Illinois. He heads the successor organization to the ROC Embassy in the United States.

A veteran diplomat, he was senior specialist and deputy director of the Treaty Department of the Foreign Affairs Ministry (1955-58), consul-general at Honolulu (1958-61), director of the North American Affairs Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, (1961-66), and ambassador to New Zealand (1966-68).

He was a member of the Chinese delegation to the 11th U.N. General Assembly and attended memorial services for U.S. President Truman. He is married and has two sons and three daughters.

Chen Chi-ching, 76, of Taiwan, is a graduate of Meiji University in Tokyo. He was chairman of the Taiwan Chamber of Commerce (1947-50), general manager of the Taiwan Cement Corpora­tion (1955-59) and chairman of the General Chamber of Commerce (1961-64).

He is now vice chairman of the Taiwan Cement Corporation, chairman of the Taiwan Bottling Company Ltd. and chairman of the General Cham­ber of Commerce. He is married and has eight sons and three daughters.

George Wu, 69, is a graduate of St. John's University in New York. He is chairman of the Central Reinsurance Corporation, International House Association, Taipei International Business­men's Club and president of the American Uni­versity Club.

He was the chief delegate of the Chinese mis­sion to the WHO Conference in 1946, president of the Taipei Rotary Club (1956-57) and is a director of the City Bank of Taipei. He is married and has two daughters.

Taipei's new gateway, the Chiang Kai-shek International Airport, which cost NT$10.3 billion and took four years to build, was opened February 26. Speaking at the inauguration ceremony a few days earlier, Premier Y.S. Sun said the new airport "will have far-reaching impli­cations for national defense."

"Its opening to traffic at a time when the country faces immense external difficulties in­ creases our determination and perseverance in strengthening ourselves through self-reliance," Pre­mier Sun said.

Communications Minister Lin Chin-sheng said the number of flights will be around 86 daily with a passenger count of about 10,000.

Passengers are expected to total 5 million in 1980 and 10 million in 1990. Cargo handled will total 200,000 tons in 1980 and 400,000 tons in 1990.

Growth rates exceed 15 per cent for passengers and 24 percent for cargo.

Engineering and construction work was carried out by Chinese.

Fourteen international airlines are using the airport, which occupies an area of 1,200 hectares 40 kilometers southwest of Taipei. Travel time via the North-South Freeway is 40 minutes.

A special agency has been set up to counter Red China's united front conspiracies.

The Ad Hoc Organization for Countering Chinese Communist United Front Plots is composed of representatives from the Kuomintang Central Committee's Department of Cultural Af­fairs, National Security Bureau, General Political Warfare Department of the Ministry of National Defense, Ministry of Education, Overseas Chinese Affairs Commission, Kuomintang Central Com­mittee's Departments of Overseas Affairs and Mainland Operations, and the Government In­formation Office.

The organization has three convenors: Chu Sung-chiu, director of the KMT Department of Cultural Affairs; General Wang Yung-shu, director of the National Security Bureau; and General Wang Sheng, director of the MND Political Warfare Department.

A special section will evaluate every united front move by Peiping and recommend counter­ action.

Experts on mainland affairs will try to antici­pate Communist moves and suggest ways to take the initiative.

Whenever opportunity arises, the organization will launch psychological warfare offensives of its own.

The decision to organize the group was reached at a high-level meeting at which President Chiang Ching-kuo presided.

Positive action will be taken to crack down on Communist operations overseas, said Tseng Kuang-shun, director of the Overseas Affairs Department of the Central Committee of the Kuomintang.

Tseng said the patriotism of overseas Chi­nese students since the Carter administration recognized Red China has been gratifying.

More than 2,300 overseas organizations in 53 countries and areas showed their support for the government in cables, statements, announcements, donations and advertisements.

"They have also held demonstrations and sent letters to American friends in support of their country," Tseng said.

In the future, Tseng added, the government will further promote overseas Chinese organiza­tions and provide more services to overseas Chi­nese.

Panama announced establishment of a con­sulate general in Taipei and urged com­panies, shipping agents, lawyers and notaries to make use of it.

The embassy is authorized to provide services to the Panama merchant marine. Fees may be paid in NT dollars.

Services will include registration of ships flying the Panamanian flag, extension of provisional patents of navigation, preparations for mortgage documents to be sent to lawyers in Panama, for protocolization and registration in the public registry and legalization of signatures on docu­ment.

Defense Minister General Kao Kuei-yuan as­sured compatriots at home and abroad that every cent of the National Defense Fund will be used to develop national defense industry.

He spoke at the first meeting of the board of directors and supervisors of the National Defense Industry Development Fund at the Ministry of National Defense.

General Kao is board chairman of the organiza­tion established to cope with the new situation arising from the severance of ROC-U.S. diplomatic relations.

Donations of compatriots at home and abroad are climbing toward NT$3 billion.

The government drafted regulations for the fund and submitted them to the Legislative Yuan. After passage by legislators, the regulations were promulgated by President Chiang Ching-kuo.

Premier Sun Yun-suan chose government lead­ers, scholars, experts and others as directors and supervisors.

Directors are General Kao; Economic Affairs Minister Chang Kwang-shih; Yu Kuo-hua, governor of the Central Bank of China; Minister of State K.T. Li; Minister of State Chou Hung-tao; Ad­miral Soong Chang-chih, chief of the general staff; General Lai Ming-tang, former commander-in-chief of the Air Force; Tsao Sheng-fen, former director of the Central Daily News; and entrepreneurs Wang Yung-ching, Lin Ting-sheng, Hsu Yu-yang, Ku Cheng-fu and Chen Mao-pang.

Supervisors are Chang Tao-min, Wu San-lien and Chung Shih-yi.

General Kao said the fund will help save compatriots on the mainland.

More than 4,800 written suggestions for weathering the crisis resulting from U.S. derecognition of the Republic of China have been received by the Kuomintang.

Suggestions came from professors, students, servicemen, members of the minority Young China and Democratic Socialist parties and people in all walks of life.

Additionally, more than 4,700 persons at­tended forums sponsored by the ruling party and aired their views.

A plenary session of the party's Central Com­mittee decided to set up six working groups on party affairs, political and diplomatic affairs, social affairs, information and cultural affairs, economic and financial affairs, and military affairs.

Highlights of the recommendations from these groups:

1. On party affairs:

- Consolidate organizations on all levels, strengthen evaluation and discipline members.

- Coordinate operations of party and govern­ment and recruit talented people for political participation.

- Improve education and training programs for party members.

2. On political and diplomatic affairs:

- Strengthen functions of the National As­sembly, Legislative Yuan and Control Yuan.

- Eliminate corruption and improve public morality.

- Engage in total diplomacy and strengthen substantive relations with the United States and other free countries which have no formal diplo­ matic ties with this country.

3. On social affairs:

- Assure a free, prosperous and harmonious society. Enhancement of the welfare of low­ income families. Construct more housing units. Offer more medical services in remote areas. Create more job opportunities for young people. Build up labor unions. Promote social welfare.

4. On culture and public relations:

- Smash the Chinese Communist "united front" offensive by stepping up political warfare.

- Publicize the ROC's progress and achieve­ments worldwide and call on the people of the mainland to rise up against the tyrannical Com­munists and for freedom and democracy.

5. On economic and financial affairs:

- Take steps to attract investment from at home and abroad. Measures will include lowering of tariffs, increased tax exemptions and improve­ment of the environment.

- Develop industries closely linked to defense.

- Accelerate agricultural modernization to increase farm income.

- Expand trade by setting up large trading companies, strengthening international coopera­tion, upgrading productivity, absorbing new tech­nology and developing sophisticated industry.

6. On military affairs:

- Beef up combat capability and heighten the morale of the armed forces.

- Give top priority to armed forces moderniza­tion and develop defense industries and technology.

Two thermal power stations of the Taiwan Power Company have been converted from Oil to coal, said David S.L. Chu, president of the state enterprise. The generators are at Shenao and Linkuo.

The Shenao station with three generators has installed capacity of 400,000 kilowatts. One of two generators at Linkuo (300,000 kilowatts) also has been changed over.

The two stations will use about 2.5 million tons of coal annually.

To meet the demand for coal, Taipower will build storages bins in several areas.

Taiwan produces more than 3 million metric tons of coal. The power company will import 2 million tons for about US$80 million.

Taipower will continue to build tanks for oil reserves. The reserve capacity will be raised from 700,000 metric tons to 1.7 million tons.

Taipower said it will not raise rates before the end of June.

In the rust half of fiscal 1979, the return was still above 9.5 percent, the minimum agreed to with international creditors

Nuclear power plants are also saving oil. Two reactors are now in operation at the Nuclear Power Plant No.1 near Chinshan. Up to 2 million tons of oil can be saved annually. When all three nuclear power plants are completed, oil will be providing 40 percent of Taipower's fuel compared with 75 percent at present. Nuclear fuel to last until 1986 has been contracted for.

The Council for Economic Planning and De­velopment has decided to provide NT$10 million a year to spur coal exploration and production. The money will come from the Sino-American Fund for Economic and Social Development.

Governor Lin Yang-kang said the government will try to increase the planted area of farmers to three hectares so as to raise agricultural efficiency.

The government is revising the Statute for Agricultural Development so owners of small farms may let other tillers work their land.

Farm mechanization is being encouraged with loans from an NT$8 billion fund established as one of the new Twelve Construction Projects.

The government hopes farm machines will replace 90 percent of manual labor by 1982.

Legislation will be introduced to protect farm­ers against price fluctuations.

Technical innovations will assure better seeds and improved livestock.

Lin expressed hope farmers will resist the temptation to turn good farmland into building sites for quick profits.

One of Taiwan's most important agricultural organizations will be continued despite the U.S. break.

The (U.S.-ROC) Joint Commission on Rural Reconstruction was reorganized in March and renamed the Council for Agricultural Develop­ment. It will advise the Executive Yuan on the agricultural development of the country and pro­ mote agricultural cooperation with other states.

Construction of three more reservoirs will be undertaken by the Water Conservancy Bureau of the Taiwan Provincial Govern­ment.

Seven reservoirs are already under construction in Taiwan and Penghu. These are the Hsinshan Reservoir at Keelung, Yuanshanyen Reservoir at Taoyuan, Tousheh Reservoir at Natou, Jenyitan Reservoir at Chiayi, Chinmien Reservoir at Tainan and Hsinjen Reservoir and Tungwei Reservoir in Penghu.

The Hsinshan, Yuanshanyen, Tousheh and Hsinjen Reservoirs are expected to be completed by the end of this year.

The additional reservoirs are:

Paoshan Reservoir in Hsinchu County. It will have a storage capacity of 920,000 cubic meters and will supply 17 million cubic meters of water annually. Cost will be NT$330 million.

Tunghsin Reservoir in Miaoli County will have storage capacity of 18 million cubic meters and will supply 55 million cubic meters of water annually at a cost of NT$610 million.

Fengshan Reservoir in Kaohsiung County will have storage capacity of 8.5 million cubic meters and will supply 44 million cubic meters of water annually at a cost of NT$680 million.