The Question of Overstaying Chinese
The nine-year-old question of 2,700 overstaying Chinese visitors in the Philippines seemed to be again deadlocked last March. The governments of the Republic of China and the Philippines apparently still could not find a solution that would be acceptable to both.
In November 1958, the two governments had announced a joint statement, signed by Chinese Ambassador Chen Chih-mai and Foreign Secretary Felixberto Serrano, emphasizing a "meeting of minds" on the solution of the question. Without disclosing details, the statement stressed the majesty of Philippine law, the sincere desire on both sides for better understanding and closer relations, and humanitarian considerations as the basis for the solution.
Press reports from Manila said that under the Serrano-Chen tentative agreement, the overstaying Chinese would be first repatriated to Taiwan, and those whose behavior in the Philippines is in accordance with Philippine law, morals and public policy would be readmitted. In order that the repatriates need not have to wait for long in Taiwan before re-entry into the Philippines, the screening for their re-entry would be conducted in Manila before their departure, the reports said. The repatriates’ would reportedly return to Taiwan in small groups of 20 or 30 at a time, instead of en bloc.
But these proposed arrangements were virtually torpedoed by the foreign affairs committee of the Philippine Senate. The committee, headed by Senator Lorenzo Sumulong, raised objections to such arrangements and suggested instead that the overstaying Chinese visitors be deported en masse before the Philippine authorities take the initial step of granting any of them the right to re-enter the country. That would mean the repatriates would have to wait for a long time in Taiwan, say a year or more, before they may expect to enter the Philippines again.
Although both governments are eager to bring this long-pending question to a settlement, there may likely be some delay in the negotiations as Foreign Secretary Serrano will be away till the end of April for attending the SEATO council meeting of ministers in New Zealand.
So far the Chinese government in Taipei has not yet made known its reaction to the suggestion by the Philippine Senate regarding the question. Reports from Manila said the Chinese government had already rejected the Senate proposal as wholly unacceptable.
Renewed efforts are being made to reach a compromise, according to Philippine Ambassador Narciso Ramos in an interview with the press in Taipei. The ambassador also voiced the earnest hope that this question will be settled as early as possible to remove "an irritant" from Sino-Philippine relations, which have always been friendly and cordial.
VIETNAM
Technical Cooperation
In late March, a plane landed in Saigon and down the ramp came ten Chinese visitors from Taiwan. These engineers, whose mission it is to help build three sugar refineries for the Vietnamese government, opened a new page in the annals of Sino-Vietnamese cooperation.
The service of the ten specialists of the Taiwan Sugar Corporation was provided by the Chinese government under an agreement signed by the representatives of the governments of the Republic of China, the Republic of Vietnam, and the ICA Mission to South Vietnam.
This technical cooperation between Taipei and Saigon gained special significance as it marked the first export of technical service by Free China to a friendly nation of Southeast Asia.
The signing of the service contract concluded several months of negotiations between Taipei and Saigon. During the visit of a Chinese technical mission to South Vietnam in September 1957, the matter had been given serious consideration by South Vietnamese authorities.
The peoples of China and Vietnam are bound by traditional ties of friendship dating back to centuries ago. The Republic of China was among the first nations to extend diplomatic recognition to the Republic of Vietnam, and has been a staunch supporter of Saigon for a seat in the United Nations.
As Minister of Economic Affairs Yang Chi-tseng put it, the technical service contract not only symbolized genuine cooperation between the two countries, it also heralded a closer unity among free and democratic nations in Southeast Asia.
U. S. A.
Immigration
Hopes soared among the overseas Chinese in the United States early in March amidst press reports that an amendment to the immigration law might be placed on the agenda of the American Congress soon. Since then, representatives of several Chinese organizations in the United States had been consulting each other on how to make their views known to American Congressional leaders in case the immigration of Chinese nationals should be brought up for discussion.
Chinese immigration to the United States began in 1894 when groups of Chinese pioneers landed in San Francisco to take part in the development of the western coastal regions. They were usually found engaged in the hardest kind of work, sweating in mines, building roads, and laboring on farm plantations. Some died, others earned enough money and returned home, and the rest stayed behind in America. Their sons and grandsons now form the flourishing Chinese community in the United States.
However, there has been a feeling among the overseas Chinese in the United States that the American government could have done something to help solve some of their most pressing difficulties.
For instance, many of the overseas Chinese in America have left their families in mainland China. Since the fall of the mainland into Communist hands, their families have been seized by the Peiping regime as hostages for blackmailing. Some of these dependents have fled out of the Bamboo Curtain to Hongkong and other free areas. For humanity's sake, these dependents should be given priority for entry into the United States to join their families.
Secondly, of the estimated 6,000 Chinese students now in America, many had entered the United States before the Communists overran mainland China. They cannot, and will not return to the Communist-controlled mainland now. Most of them are law-abiding and have secured jobs in America. Many of them hope they could be granted the right of permanent residence in the United States.
And lastly, some overseas Chinese feel that the present immigration quota for 105 Chinese nationals a year seems to be rather small when compared with the quotas granted to people of other countries, notably Britain, France and Ireland. They hope that if the immigration law should be deliberated, due consideration will be given to the immigration quota for the Chinese.
May Queen
For the first time in its history, a foreign girl was elected to be crowned as the "May Queen" of the Mary Washington College, Fredericksburg, Virginia. She was Miss Cheng Hsueh-hsin, a 23-year-old petite Chinese student from Taipei.
Miss Cheng, second daughter of former chairman of the Overseas Affairs Commission and Mrs. Cheng Yin-fun, was a student of the college's department of fine arts. Last year, she was one of the six girls elected to the May Court in the entourage of the "queen."
Her popularity won her a chance to eye the crown of the "queen" as one of the ten candidates in February 1959. Clad in a white satin Chinese dress, she gracefully walked across the dais and almost by acclamation, won the coveted title. "It's something I never dreamed of," she said later. The coronation ceremony will take place on May 2, 1959.
BURMA
In the city of Myitkyina of World War II fame in northern Burma, a prominent figure among the Chinese community is Chen Ping-hsien, known for his devotion to the promotion of public welfare and love for his mother country. Because of his popularity among the local Chinese residents, Chen has been the target of threats and lures of the Chinese Communists.
When all the tricks failed to swing Chen to the side of Peiping, the Communists in late January took a drastic step. On the night of January 20, 1959, when Chen was having a cup of tea with some friends in his own house, some one threw several flaming balls onto the roofs of his kitchen and garage. The roofs immediately caught fire, which soon spread to other parts of the wooden bungalow.
Neighbors rushed to his aid but were unable to control the fire. One fire engine arrived in time, but could not do much because of water shortage. Another fire engine broke down halfway. One and a half hours later, all that remained of Chen's spacious, well-decorated home was a charred shambles. Practically nothing was saved from the house before it was engulfed by the flames.
The local police probed into the cause of the fire. As Chen has never had an enemy except the rejected Communists, it seems quite probable that the arson was a Communist plot.
TIMOR
Better Education
In Portuguese Timor, its 6,500 overseas Chinese are saving their hard-earned money to improve the education of their children. Responding to a call by Chinese Consul Lo Ming-yuan, Chinese businessmen in Timor are contributing to a special fund. The money thus raised goes to improve teachers' pay, buy better training aids, procure newer equipment, and set up new schools.
The highest educational institute in Portuguese Timor is the Dilli Chinese Middle School. In 1959, the overseas Chinese community will pool their resources to make this middle school the pride of all the people of Chinese extraction in Timor. Graduates of the Dilli Chinese Middle School are encouraged to pursue advanced studies in Free China. Some of the local-born Chinese youngsters have already been enrolled in universities and colleges in Taiwan, and more are coming to Taiwan next summer.
TAIPEI
Investment Law
In early March, the Chinese government took concrete steps to encourage overseas Chinese investment in Taiwan by proposing to remove all obstacles in the existing law.
In a proposed amendment to the statute governing overseas Chinese investment submitted to the Legislative Yuan, the Cabinet suggested augmenting the scope of investment and lifting the restrictions on the outflow of the investors' profits. The Legislative Yuan is expected to approve the amendment bill with some minor changes in wording.
According- to the proposed amendment, the investors may put their money in "public utilities, service business, enterprises helpful to communications, and all enterprises helpful to the development of the economy and society at home," in addition to the present industrial field.
Such an amendment, if approved, will give the overseas Chinese investors much more leeway by enabling them to invest their capital in almost any kind of enterprise in Taiwan.
According to the existing law, the amount of profit or interest an overseas Chinese investor may remit back each year shall not exceed 15% of his total capital investment. The amendment bill proposed that this restriction be cancelled. The profit or interest on the investment may be totally remitted back with no restriction, the amendment bill suggested.
The existing law, stipulating that an enterprise with 51% of overseas Chinese investment or more will not be commandeered within ten years, has aroused fears that the business may be commandeered after the ten-year period.
So the Cabinet proposed that this stipulation be rescinded. As long as overseas Chinese investors keep not less than 51% of the shares, the business establishment will not be commandeered or bought over by the government, according to the proposed amendment.
If the overseas Chinese investment in an enterprise is below 51%, the government promises reasonable compensation for the investors if it should need to buy over the enterprise, according to the amendment
Familiar Voice From Afar
To overseas Chinese parents whose children are studying; in Taiwan, nothing could be more heartening than to hear the voices of their sons and daughters.
This has now been made possible by the Broadcasting Corporation of China which has a daily, hour-long radio program for Chinese compatriots abroad. Any overseas Chinese students who wish to talk to their home folks may go to the BCC Taipei radio station and have their messages recorded. The tape-record will be transmitted to every corner of the world where Chinese are residing. A student may appoint a specific date for broadcasting the message. From 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. on that day, his parents may tune on the radio and listen to their child's voice.
Deadline of Application
Overseas Chinese students preparing to come to Taiwan for advanced studies are asked to send in their applications before June 20, 1959, according to an announcement by the Overseas Affairs Commission. No applications will be accepted after the deadline.
The OAC has mailed copies of a small pamphlet, containing everything a student should know about the procedures of application, to Chinese organizations all over the world. An application must be accompanied by all necessary supporting documents.
There will be 1,800 vacancies in colleges and 500 vacancies in middle schools reserved for overseas Chinese students to be newly enrolled this year. The students will be given a re-check of their health conditions upon their arrival in Taiwan. Those found suffering from tuberculosis, mental disease, or other serious ailments or disability that will prevent them from pursuing normal studies will be asked to return to their overseas abodes at their own expense.