Commenting on Peiping's June 17 nuclear test, Taipei newspapers said the Chinese Communists were trying to frighten the Chinese people and the world.
The Lien Ho Pao (United Daily News) of June 19 said:
"The Peiping regime is afflicted by internal turmoil and faces international isolation. It is trying to frighten the people into submission and the world into appeasement. We must heighten our vigilance.
"The detonation of a hydrogen bomb does not show the regime is strong and stable. To the contrary, it is a sign of fear and weakness. Peiping's official statement attributed the 'success' to the flexible application of the works of Mao Tse-tung and 'determined opposition to the handful of powerholders in the Party who follow the capitalist or revisionist road'.
"This statement reveals that Mao's rule is tottering and that the anti-Maoist movement is strong. In urging a vigorous response to Lin Piao's appeal for discipline, the statement is aimed at the anti-Maoists in military ranks.
"Peiping said the detonation has enhanced the revolutionary morale of many nations, encouraged the people to topple the capitalists and revisionists, and provided another step in breaking the nuclear monopoly of the United States, Soviet Russia, France, and Great Britain. The regime also said that the test supports the Vietnamese people and the Arabs in their fight against the United States, Britain, and Israel.
"The timing of the test involves an effort to break out of international isolation. If the United States should be misled into believing Peiping has become a meaningful nuclear power that must be appeased, that would be a mistake of historic proportions. Peiping's nuclear arsenal is a grave threat to world peace but peace cannot be safeguarded by words. The only way to remove this threat is to destroy the Peiping regime:'
The Chen Hsin Daily News of June 19 said:
"The Peiping regime conducted three nuclear tests in the seven months between May 9 and December 28 of 1966. It boasted that hydrogen bombs were being developed. The latest test brings nothing new. In the previous three tests, missiles were used as carriers. This time the bomb was dropped from a plane, indicating the development of medium and long-range missiles is not satisfactory.
"The rapid fire tests of last year were required by the developments of the 'great cultural revolution', power seizure campaign, and Red Guard movement. Peiping described those tests as 'great successes for Mao Tse-tung's thought'. Five months and 20 days had passed since the last 1966 detonation. In that period Mao Tse-tung failed to seize power, the working and farming masses have rose against him, and the military ranks split. This situation required Mao to resume testing to frighten the people, civilian and military alike."
Time For Action
The Lien Ho Pao of June 23 urged the United States to change its strategy in the face of Peiping's nuclear blackmail.
The paper said:
"The Peiping regime knows that it would be destroyed immediately if it should start a nuclear war, but it continues to carry out hollow bluffs and to create political tension in Hongkong and elsewhere in the world. The United States and Soviet Russia should not fear Peiping's nuclear capability. Rather, they should find a way to stop Peiping's nuclear blackmail.
"The Chinese Communists will do their utmost to avoid giving the United States and Russia an excuse to bomb their nuclear facilities. They would even avoid such a brush war as the 1962 border conflict with New Delhi. They must concentrate on tidying up their armed forces, strengthening their air defenses, and establishing missile silos and other underground projects."
The Shin Sheng Pao (New Life Daily News) said June 28 that this is the time to destroy Peiping's nuclear installations.
The paper said:
"As far back as January 4, 1965, we warned the world of the threats to peace resulting from Chinese Communist possession of nuclear weapons. At that time we advocated bombing Peiping's atomic installations. Nothing has been done. The U.S. government lacks the foresight and the courage to act.
"With the U.S. and the Soviet Union seeking ways and means to check Peiping's development of nuclear weaponry, the international Communists and fellow-travelers can be expected to redouble their effort to bring the Chinese Reds into conferences on world disarmament. There has been manuevering to get Peiping into the United Nations, there to become a party to test ban agreements.
"This would only make it easier for Peiping to carry out political blackmail. No matter what Peiping may say, it will continue its nuclear arms program in order to bury 'American imperialism'.
"One danger is imminent. If the U.S. should give in to Peiping's political blackmail and allow Mao Tse-tung and his cohorts to take control of Asia, the Soviets might change their attitude toward the Chinese Communists. Moscow might decide to close ranks with Peiping in order to bury U.S. capitalism. The hawkish faction of the Soviet hierarchy probably prefers adventurism to revisionism.
"In this event, the United States would have to surrender or fight a nuclear war.
"For the good of the United States and the free world, the time to take action is now -not tomorrow."
Glassboro Meeting
Commenting on the Russo-American summit conference, the English-language China News of June 26 said Kosygin probably has less power to commit the U.S.S.R. than Johnson has to commit the United States.
The paper said:
"Ten hours of converse between Alexei Kosygin and Lyndon Johnson does not make world peace or even settle the pressing problems of Vietnam and the Middle East.
"The wishful thinking reflected in the press of the United States and some other free countries is understandable. The Americans and other free peoples want peace. In today's world, the Americans and the Vietnamese are paying a heavy price for the international community's failure to prevent war.
"But let it be remembered that while Americans were hanging on every word of Premier Kosygin and cheering him at Glassboro, Niagara Falls, and New York, the 230 million people of the Soviet Union didn't even know of the first meeting with Johnson.
"Kosygin is no Stalin-style dictator. Probably he has less power to commit the U.S.S.R. than Johnson has to commit the United States. The fact that he is not a snarling ogre and got along pleasantly with Johnson, especially in talk about grandchildren, proves only that not all Communists are barbarians, personally speaking.
"President Johnson frankly admitted that no agreements were reached at either meeting.
"The Soviet Union remains committed to Mideast and Vietnam policies that the United States cannot accept. The U.S.S.R. is still a Communist state dedicated to the proposition that Communism is going to take over world-by force and violence, if peaceful persuasion is not sufficient.
"We don't suggest that Johnson should not have met with Kosygin. In the nature of things, he was compelled to-and it is possible that some good will come of the talks.
"Both the Soviet Union and the United States have a self-interest in preventing nuclear proliferation. The question is whether they can agree on what to do about Peiping, which is potentially more dangerous than all other nuclear powers put together. Another issue is that of anti-missile systems. Moscow and Washington would save billions of dollars by agreeing not to build them.
"Always and ever, the United States must keep in mind that Russians are Communists first and nice people second. If Kosygin is a Communist to be trusted, he is the first of his breed to appear in our world."
Burma Riots
The Chung Yang Jih Pao (Central Daily News) of June 30 said Peiping's export of the Red Guard movement is the basic cause of riots in Burma and other Asian countries.
The paper said:
"The riots were triggered by the Burmese government's banning of the Mao Tse-tung badges worn by overseas Chinese students. An anti-Chinese movement then developed, just as in Indonesia.
"Peiping's organizations abroad seek to spread discord and disrupt social order. Several African nations have realized this and taken precautionary measures.
"The Burmese government has learned a lesson from India and Indonesia and become disillusioned with Peiping. If it had not intervened, the price of social control would have been even higher.
"However, it is wrong to turn the feeling against Peiping into an anti-Chinese movement. Most overseas Chinese are anti-Communist. If they are treated justly, they will contribute much to the economic development of their countries of residence.
The China News of June 30 said the tragic event in Burma are a further exemplification of the viciousness of Maoism and the callous brutality of the
Red Guards.
The paper said:
"Burma's nationalization program has caused much hardship for the overseas Chinese population.
"So has Burma's relationship with the Chinese Communists. Peiping's emissaries unceasingly try to arm-twist the essentially anti-Communist population.
"However, most of the Chinese have managed to survive economically and to keep out of Communist clutches. Many of them have been helped and protected by Burmese friends of long standing. Nationalization is not popular with Burmese, either.
"In recent days the Communists instigated pro-Red students to imitate the Red Guards, to wear Mao Tse-tung badges, and to shout Mao slogans in state schools.
"When such conduct was banned, the students demonstrated. The government broke up the demonstrations, then inspired anti-Chinese rioting that destroyed Chinese shops and homes throughout Rangoon. However, the property of the Chinese Communist 'embassy' was carefully protected.
"The Burmese government must suppress Maoism and the Red Guards. Unfortunately, in loosing mobs against the Chinese population in general, the government is alienating its strongest ally against Communist hoodlumism in Burma.
"In a larger sense, Burma is reaping the harvest of hate and violence that became inevitable with the recognition of Peiping. Chinese Communist missions in Southeast Asia are not devoted to diplomacy, but infiltration and control of the overseas Chinese populations for use as fifth columns.
"If Burma is to protect itself against the Chinese Communist conspiracy, it must suspend the official relationship with Peiping -or at least isolate Peiping's mission in Rangoon so as to prevent the further subverting of young Chinese."
Hongkong Riots
Commenting on the riots in Hongkong, the Shin Sheng Pao of July 10 said the free world should take action.
The paper said:
"The Chinese Communists have been instigating riots in Hongkong -and Kowloon since May.
"A thousand rioters from Canton crossed the border Saturday and attacked Hongkong police at Sha Tau Kok village. Five Hongkong policemen were killed.
"The Hongkong situation is deteriorating because:
"1. Border defenses are weak.
"2. Rumors of Chinese Communist aggression already have caused Hongkong unease. The attack on Sha Tau Kok was a test of Hongkong responses and also an expression of Peiping's frustration at failure to take over the British colony.
"Prolonged tension is a certainty. British control of Hongkong and the security of neighboring Asian peoples depend on the maintenance of law and order in the crown colony.
"The free world should take concrete steps to eliminate the Chinese Communist troublemakers once and for all."
The China News said July 10 that although most observers think the Chinese Communists do not want to take over Hongkong, the Reds may make the attempt in order to bolster their faltering morale.
The paper said:
"The reasonable presumption has been that Hongkong is more valuable to Peiping as a British colony than as a possession.
"Hongkong buys more than US$500 million worth of goods from the mainland annually. If the Reds took over, they would still have to feed Hongkong but there would be no foreign exchange forthcoming in return.
"Much of Hongkong's business and industry would dry up under a Communist regime. Profitable tourism would come to an end. And Peiping would lose its most important window looking out on the free world.
"Despite all these reasons for leaving Hongkong in British hands, we must now begin to wonder whether the Chinese Communists are going to show restraint.
"London has chosen to regard the attack on border police garrison by 1,000 Chinese Reds as an 'isolated incident'. The British reaction is political, not factual. By keeping its cool, Whitehall hopes to calm down Peiping.
"Mobs of hundreds of Chinese Communists do not go charging across a frontier without direct orders. Nor do they possess dynamite and machine guns.
"Thousands of Reds were massed near Sha Tau Kok, where the five Hongkong policemen were killed by border raiders, and at another village eight miles to the west. Such crowds didn't come together along the frontier merely by accident.
"If the Chinese Communists were going to move into Hongkong, they would preface the invasion with border incidents and then charge the British with aggression.
"In the case of Peiping, it is not always necessary to ask why. Mao Tse-tung has now reached a point of irrationality where any mad action is possible. The Mao Communists are frustrated everywhere. They have not been able even to make the mangy British lion lie down in the 400 square miles of the Hongkong crown colony.
"Daring not to strike any place else, Peiping might decide that a Hongkong takeover is worth the price of lost hard currencies.
"Possibly the Communists are not yet prepared to go so far. The border crossings may be only a show of strength to regain some face and get the Hongkong rioting started again. Peiping may be seeking another way to skin the British lion.
"For the sake of nearly 4 million Chinese residents, we hope the Communists will not attempt to grab Hongkong. But the British government and the free world must be prepared for rash action by Peiping. If Hongkong is attacked, it must be defended not only on the spot but with counterattack across the Taiwan Straits."
Four Taipei newspaper of July 13 supported a firm stand by the Hongkong government.
The Chung Yang Jih Pao said:
"The riots in the British crown colony are following the Peiping progression of peaceful demonstration and strike, riot and sabotage, and terrorism. The third stage is getting under way.
"The Hongkong government so far has been firm in the face of Communist threats and bluffs. However, a continued show of strength is still needed to keep Hongkong from becoming a second Macao."
The Chen Hsin Daily News said:
"It is wrong to presume that if the British government gives in a little, the Peiping-instigated riots will cease. The Communists will do anything to gain their ends.
"The British government has no choice but to stand firm against Peiping's bluffs. Die-hard Communists, estimated at around 2,000, should be deported to the Chinese mainland. Such Communist and pro-Communist newspapers as Ta Kung Pao and Wen Hui Pao should be shut down."
The Lien Ho Pao said:
"The riots in Hongkong show that the Peiping regime is desperately trying to create trouble abroad in order to divert the attention of the mainland people from troubles at home.
"Peiping cannot afford to lose the foreign exchange it receives from Hongkong.
"The rioters are a handful of hard-core Communists and gangsters. Ninety-nine per cent of the Chinese in Hongkong are anti-Communist or lacking in political motivation.
"The Hongkong government is not alone. Every peace-loving country in the world supports its stand."
The English-language China Post said:
"The situation in Hongkong will go from bad to worse if the British authorities do not take a firm stand coupled with resolute action. Governor Sir David Trench should end his consultations in London and return to Hongkong.
Without his leadership the other British officials can hardly be expected to act effectively in coping with the crisis. We are aware that the British authorities have no mind to let Hongkong become another Macao.
"If the British do not wish to let the Communists seize Hongkong, they should do everything within their power to enforce law and order. They have strong police and army units backed by warships. Whatever strong actions they take will have the support of Hongkong residents."