The letter was signed by Edward L. Lai, a foreign affairs commentator, on behalf of a group which included professors, scientists, engineers, journalists, writers and community leaders.
While praising the U.S. president for his "forth-right stand on human rights for peoples allover the world," the letter cautioned against a "double standard" for Red China.
"If the principle of human rights or the respect for human rights is the criterion on which American foreign policy is to be based," it said, "it is then inconceivable that a double standard should be applied to the Chinese Communist regime." This contradiction is all the more apparent in the administration's desire to "normalize" relations with Red China, the letter said.
President Carter was asked to apply the same human rights concept to the 800 million Chinese people. The letter warned that their deliverance from Peiping's yoke "will be absolutely written off" if the U.S. recognizes the regime.
The co-signers included Professors Hsia Chih-ching, Chow Yuan-sin, Chang Te-huang, Paul K.T. Sih, Liang Chi-tung, Stephen Pan, Tsuan Tai-hsun and Tung Shih-kang; the Rev. Fathers Paul Chang and Raymond de Jaegher; writers Liu Shih-shun and Twoeln N. Z. Zia; Mrs. Anna Chennault; engineers T.C. Isao and James Wang; journalists Jacob K. Ma and Yuan Liang; artist George Yang; educator Linda Wu; and community leaders Yu Yut-kan, Josephine Hong and Y.T. Huang.
The letter reads: "May we, the undersigned who are a group of Chinese professional people (authors, editors, columnists, artists, poets, scientists, engineers and professors) and American scholars of Chinese descent residing in New York and the East Coast convey to you our sincere admiration for your forthright stand on human rights for peoples all over the world.
"As you have defined so aptly, 'The right of a human being to be treated fairly in the courts, to be removed from the threat of prison - imprisonment without a trial - to have a life to live that is free, is very precious.' You also stated that 'This policy does not relate just to the Soviet Union, but also to our own country and all those with whom we trade or with whom we communicate.'
"We presume that your succinct definition of and respect for human rights must also have application to the 'People's Republic of China' which has a population of 800 million. It is common knowledge that under the Chinese Communist regime behind the bamboo curtain, there is a total absence of the basic human rights. According to a U.S. Senate document of June 27, 1970 (entitled 'The Human Cost of Communism in China'), that regime had liquidated no fewer than 60 million Chinese people, and it has continued to impose its tyrannical rule on all dissidents in the name of the so-called 'proletarian dictatorship.'
"William Safire, whose column appears regularly in New York Times, recently alluded to the blatant admission of a diplomatic official of Peking that 5 per cent of the Chinese people do not have human rights. They belong to the so-called five black categories of landlords, rich peasants, bad elements, counter-revolutionaries, and rightists. What the Peking bureaucrat failed to realize is that this came up to the staggering figure of 40 million people who have been denied their human rights, thus making the PRC the most notorious example of violating the high moral principle advocated by the President of the United States.
"If the principle of human rights or the respect for human rights is the criterion on which American foreign policy is to be based, it is then inconceivable that a double standard should be applied to the Chinese Communist regime. However, since the trip to mainland China and the announcement of the Shanghai communique, there has been a steady tren9 toward accommodation with Peking. Even your esteemed administration has stated that the U.S. government would continue to normalize relations with the PRC, to the extent of granting full diplomatic recognition.
"In the light of this contradiction, we wish to call your attention to Peking's tyrannical character. Where the human rights issue is concerned, the 'PRC' is no less culpable than the Soviet Union.
"It has violated the human rights of 800 million people who, deprived of their basic freedoms, live under the most miserable conditions. We commiserate with them because they are our compatriots.
"We are keenly aware that U.S. recognition of Peking will have the effect of bolstering its international prestige and perpetuating its tyrannical rule. This is no time to normalize relations with the Chinese Communist regime. As the leader of the free world, Mr. President, we implore you to apply the same human rights concept to the 800 million people whose deliverance from Peking's yoke will be absolutely written off if the U.S. should recognize the People's Republic of China."
Mrs. Anna Chennault, an expert on American and Asian affairs, pointed out that the Taiwan issue is related to the Pacific area as a whole, including such countries as Japan, Korea, the Philippines and even Australia and New Zealand.
Mrs. Chennault, whose late husband, Lt. Gen. Claire Lee Chennault, founded the Flying Tigers during World War II, said she regards the future of free China as bright despite the normalization moves being discussed between the United States and Red China.
In a lecture entitled "The American System and the Sino-American Relationship," she said that in understanding the formation of U.S. foreign policy, one must look into history since World War II, when America replaced Britain as the superpower of the free world.
She said the Korean and Vietnam wars of the last three decades have had a considerable impact on current American foreign policy.
Mrs. Chennault, who has been living in the United States for the last 18 years, warned that the Russians might try to extend their naval power into the Pacific if the Americans decide to withdraw.
Representative Robert Sikes of the United States praised the Republic. of China for holding "high the flag of freedom and friendship for America."
Calling the Republic of China "a great land" and the Chinese people "a great people," Sikes said the American people are proud to have the people of the Republic of China as their friends and are proud to be the friends of the Republic of China.
He said the American people "are proud of your example of success in free enterprise."
The Democratic Congressman from Florida spoke at a reception of the Florida State Society at the Twin Oaks residence of Chinese Ambassador James Shen.
Richard Nelson, president of the society, thanked Ambassador Shen for offering the hospitality of Twin Oaks. Voicing his welcome, Shen said Twin Oaks has been the official residence of the Chinese ambassador to Washington for 40 years and that embassy intends to stay for another 40 years.
More than 300 members of the society attended the reception, including Andrew Ireland, Don Fuqua, L.S. Bafalis, Herbert Burke and Bill Chappell.
Twin Oaks has become a prestigious Washing ton locale because of its history, Chinese decoration and garden. The embassy often receives requests from American individuals and organizations for social functions and sightseeing tours at Twin Oaks.
Representative Paul Simon (D-Ill.) said the United States should make clear its continued friendship for the Republic of China and its commitment to stand by the mutual defense treaty.
In a weekly column distributed to news media in his Congressional district, Simon criticized the U.S. government for "turning its back on the government of the Republic of China despite treaty agreements with that nation, despite the remarkable economic recovery that Taiwan has made and despite the fact that there is appreciably more freedom on Taiwan than in mainland China."
Citing the report that Chinese Ambassador to the U.S. James Shen "is not accorded the opportunities for visits with high U.S. officials usually given an ambassador," the Congressman charged that the U.S. government apparently has decided "to turn against Taiwan - a friend in fact, as well as by treaty - to curry favor with the People's Republic of China."
He told the executive branch that foreign governments "will respect us if we stand by our treaties and stand by our friends."
"If we continue to play the 'shrewd' game of simply jumping to the side of those with power, we will gain little in the long run, for no country will trust us," said the former newspaper editor and publisher.
He said the United States should tell the government of the Republic of China that the U.S. intends to honor its treaty commitments.
Chase Manhattan Bank will continue to extend loans to finance Taiwan economic development projects in the years to come, said David Rockefeller, board chairman of Chase.
Rackefeller said he believes the Taiwan economy will continue the rapid and sustained economic development of recent years.
Chase Manhattan is not considering setting up a branch on mainland China, he said.
Discussing frozen assets talks between the United States and Peiping, the American banker said no agreement has been reached. He raised the question in Peiping last January.
Chase Manhattan properties were taken over by the Chinese Communists during the Korean War.
Resolutions adopted at the second Sino-Saudi Economic and Technical Cooperation Conference in Riyadh were approved by the Executive Yuan as follows:
- Industrial cooperation: The Republic of China will provide assistance for the setting up of three industrial zones. Other cooperation projects will include joint investments in fertilizer and sugar plants and training programs.
- Electric power: Assistance to Saudi Arabia in expanding capacity.
- Trade: Establishment of a Chinese display center and warehouses in Jidda. Saudi Arabia will increase oil exports to the Republic of China.
- Transportation: Cooperation in rail, highway and air projects.
- Telecommunications: Exchange visits and dispatch of technicians to Saudi Arabia.
- Finance: ROC help in setting up a Saudi Arabian tax and financial data center.
- Agriculture: ROC sponsorship of training programs in technology and Saudi cooperation with the Asian Vegetable Research and Development Center in Taiwan.
- Others: Chinese technical help in housing and manpower development.
Economic Minister Water Fei is received by Columbian President Alfonso Lopez Michelson in Bogata. photo)
Economic Minister Walter Fei toured Latin American nations at the head of a ROC mission.
In Colombia, he called on the leader of the government party, Dr. Julio Turbay, and exchanged views on the international situation.
In Paraguay, the mission discussed economic cooperation.
Free China will extend credits to finance Paraguayan imports of Chinese machinery and equipment for industrial and agricultural development.
Technical cooperation will be strengthened and extended to floriculture, pisciculture, ceramics and marble production.
Achievements of 15 free Chinese agricultural missions in Central and South Amierca have won respect in recent years. Fourteen teams are still on station.
The first Chinese agricultural mission to Latin America was organized in November of 1963. It arrived in the Dominican Republic and was sent to the small town of Juma to provide technical assistance.
Agreement with the Dominican government has been extended 12 times, the last time for two years.
The nine members of the mission have helped Dominicans with rice and vegetable planting, irrigation, pest control and hog raising.
Eleven agricultural and three fishery missions with 138 members are now serving in the Dominican Republic, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Bolivia, Paraguay and Uruguay.
Legislators approved a Central Government budget balanced at NT$131,424 million (US$3,458.52 million) for fiscal 1978.
NT$6,660 million will be used to raise the pay of government employees by an average of 14.7 per cent. The hike will take the form of a month's bonus before the lunar new year.
The Legislative Yuan made the following recommendations to the Executive Yuan:
- To alleviate the financial burden of people with low incomes, the government should reduce taxes on such daily necessities as soap, paper, sewing machines and bicycle tires.
- To ensure a good return from the massive investments made by state-owned enterprises, the government should not put capital into new projects undertaken by companies which do not improve their management and operations. The government may suspend the operation of companies which suffer chronic losses.
- Water and air pollution projects should be expedited.
- More emphasis should be placed on economic planning and the training of new talent.
Legislator. Cheng Lieh, the convenor of the Budget Committee, said major sources of revenue will be excise taxes and earnings from monopoly sales and the operations of state-owned enterprises.
Main budget items are national defense, foreign affairs, economic development, social welfare, education and scientific research.
The Central Bank of China announced a 0.5 per cent reduction of rates for loans, discounts and deposits. The fourth cut in a little more than seven months is intended to help industrial and business sectors reduce their financial burdens.
Bank Governor K.H. Yu said rates were lowered by 0.75 per cent last October, 0.5 per cent in December and 0.75 per cent in April.
Deposits registered a 1.75 per cent increase in the year ended last April.
Explorations of the Chinese Petroleum Corporation will be stepped up in fiscal 1978, said T.H. Lee, president of the state-owned company.
CPC is planning to drill three new wells to seek oil or gas and two to three geothermal wells in 1977-78.
A geophysical survey of plains and mountains along the western corridor of Taiwan will be conducted. Another study will be made of western and northern coasts and six deep wells drills. Foreign companies associated with CPC will be asked to speed up prospecting.
CPC is planning to import 14.31 million kiloliters of crude oil in fiscal 1978, an increase of 85.42 per cent compared with fiscal 1977.
A leading Japanese aviation official assured the Republic of China that China Airlines can continue its operations at Haneda Airport without disruption when Narita International Airport opens at the end of this year.
Toshio Itakura, president of Japan Asia Air ways, said the Japanese Transport Ministry is arranging sufficient customs, immigration and other personnel to serve China Airlines flights.
Earlier, Japan had been reported planning to reduce immigration and customs services at Haneda to daytime on weekdays.
Itakura, a former Japan Air Lines official, recalled JAL's difficulties after the termination of JAL and CAL Japan-Taiwan flights April 20, 1974, following the signing of an air accord between Japan and Communist China. JAL suffered a heavy financial loss, Itakura said.
JAA will work more closely with China Airlines and step up promotion of Taiwan trade and tourism, he added.
Chinese Communist planes will land at Narita and CAL will stay at Haneda, which is much closer to downtown Tokyo.
Itakura disclosed that JAA is studying a plan to extend its flights to Kaohsiung. A feasibility study has shown Kaohsiung is a potential market for air cargo. Further study will be made of passenger potential.
Eugene A. Theroux, an American lawyer who has visited mainland China 11 times in the last few years, said he sees no prospect of the mainland market being opened up for Western products.
The former vice president of the "National Council for U.S.-(Red) China Trade," Theroux said functionaries of the Peiping regime are afraid of being Westernized, as have socialist countries of Eastern Europe.
Peiping also opposes import of consumer goods, so the market is very limited.
Theroux sees little possibility of the United States granting most-favored-nation treatment to Red China.
The Republic of China does not boycott American firms for doing business with the Chinese Communists, he said, but Peiping is applying pressure on American companies trading with this country.
He said he was elected vice president when the mainland trade group was set up in 1973 simply because he had been to Red China twice.
Theroux believes the United States will not desert the Republic of China while seeking better ties with Peiping. The U.S. has "moral and legal" obligations to the ROC, he said.
Continued expansion of Communist influence by the Soviet Union and Peiping regime would bring unprecedented disaster to humanity. People of the free world must wake up, said General Wego Chiang, president of the Armed Forces University.
There is no possibility of compromise between the Communist bloc and the free world. The target of Soviet Russia and the Peiping regime is communization of the world, he said. "The only way to survive is to destroy Communism."
General Chiang stressed the importance of political and psychological warfare. He said psychological war will lead to victory through military action.
Unveiling of a statue of the late President Chiang Kai-shek and an ignition ceremony for the blast furnace of the China Steel Corporation were held simultaneously at Kaohsiung.
The blast furnace will bum for five years at a temperature of 20000C to connect upstream and downstream facilities of CSC at the Linhai Industrial Zone in Kaohsiung county.
The furnace will smelt 4,000 tons of steel daily to help achieve CSC's initial production target of 1.5 million tons. Subsequent expansion to 6 million tons will make the Republic of China Asia's third largest steel producer after Japan and Korea.
Taiwan's Railway Administration is bracing itself for a tough competition with highway buses when TRA completes its electrification and the North-South Freeway is opened.
The freeway will be completed before the end of 1978. Electrification won't be finished until mid-l 979. Besides a six-month head start, buses will offer lower fares.
It now costs NT$117.5 (US$3.10) for a Taipei-Taichung ticket on the best bus, compared with NT$186 (US$4.90) on the best train. The Taiwan Highway Bureau will offer Taipei-Kaohsiung service when the freeway opens.
TRA has been retraining its senior staff. Besides on-the-job training, National Chengchi University will give management courses. TRA must also dispel rumors that the electrified railroad will be unsafe because of the high voltage.
Beginning next year, 106 steam locomotives on the North-South line will be replaced, winding up service of 30 to 40 years and more than 2 million kilometers for the old engines.
Most of the old locomotives are still in good shape. TRA will sell some, scrap some and send a few to museums.
Some of the 106 were taken over from Japan when Taiwan was returned to the Republic of China in 1945. Others were purchased later. Three-fourths of Taiwan's locomotives are diesels.
TaiPower has obtained U.S. bank pledges for loans of US$212,400,000 to finance installation of three 500-megawatt thermal generating units.
L.K. Chen, board chairman, negotiated the loans.
Installation of the first generator is scheduled for completion in 1980. The two other units will begin operations in 1981 and 1982.
The company is building a 200-kilometer ultra-high-voltage transmission system in northern Taiwan in conjunction with construction of two nuclear power plants and the Hsieho thermal plant. Work will be completed in June of 1979.
Shipbuilding capacity of the Taiwan Shipbuilding Corporation will be enlarged in fiscal 1978.
Plans call for construction of 200,000 tons of vessels. Orders totaling 56,000 tons have been received.
TSBC can build ships of 130,000 tons. Repair capacity will reach a million tons annually.
The shipbuilding industry has been sluggish and marked by keen competition.
Plans have been approved to break up the Taiwan company and a government agency in charge of highway engineering and the supervision of highway transport.
Approval was given by the Taiwan Provincial Government, but six months to a year will be required to organize the transport company.
The Highway Bureau now performs functions of highway transport, engineering and supervision.
The break-up will free the bureau of the responsibility of running a transport company.
Taiwan has 15 private transport companies. Nine are doing fine. The others need government assistance.
All companies serving the Hualien area on the east coast are losing money.
Electric cars designed and manufactured locally have rolled off the assembly line.
They will be used in postal and telecommunications service.
Developed by a research group headed by Prof. Mao Kao-wen at National Tsinghua University, each car weighs about 800 kilograms and has maximum speed of 70 kilometers per hour. The battery will power the car for 110 kilometers per charge.
Prof. Mao, dean of the university's College of Engineering, disclosed that progress has been made in improving the battery. The target is four hours of service per charge and a life of over 200 charges.
The Tsinghua car can reach a speed of 60 kilometers per hour in 14 seconds, a satisfactory rate of acceleration under local traffic conditions.
Prof. Mao's team began research four years ago. Two prototypes were made.
The university is planning to develop a four seat midget electric car at a price not exceeding NT$120,000 (US$3,160).
The Provincial Government will transform 16, 302 hectares of tidelands into industrial and agricultural land.
This distribution was announced:
- Tunghsiao in Miaoli county: 143 hectares for industrial use.
- Putai in Chiayi county: 717 out of 809 hectares for salt and the rest for other uses.
- Chiku in Tainan county: 854 out of 964 hectares for salt and the rest for other purposes.
- Tucheng in Taipei county: 248 hectares, of which 186 hectares will be fish ponds.
- Tungssu in Chiayi county: 1,650 hectares, of which 1,353 hectares will be for fish culture.
- Hsengkang, Lukang, Fushing, Hanpao, Yunghsing and Fangwan in Changhua county: 4,192 hectares, of which 3,354 hectares can be used for fish culture and farming.
- Mailiao and Wenkang in Yunlin county: 1,376 hectares, of which 1,128 hectares can be developed as fish ponds and farmland.
- Makung on Penghu: 92 hectares for industrial development.
- Waisan and Tingchou in Chiayi county: 6,820 hectares, of which 5,600 hectares can be used for fish culture.