In refutation of Filipino Vice President Carlos P. Garcia's allegation that the Nansha Islands in the South Seas were not Chinese territory, Kiang Yi-seng, spokesman of the Foreign Ministry, issued a statement which pointed out that "the sovereignty of the Republic of China over the entire Nansha group of islands, commonly known as the Spratleys, has been repeatedly made known to the world; and the Chinese Government has maintained and is at present maintaining a garrison force on the islands."
19 On the subject of the nationality of the Chinese residents in Vietnam, Acting Foreign Minister Shen Chang-huan said that the Government had been urging the government of the Republic of Vietnam to respect the principle of fundamental human rights by giving the Chinese residing in Vietnam a free choice of their nationality. The Chinese Government made it known that it would not object to voluntary acquisition of Vietnamese citizenship on the part of the Chinese nationals in Vietnam.
22 Tim McDonald, leader of an 8-member delegation of Australian university students which returned to Hongkong from a four week Red China tour, said the Red Chinese students were "pretty tightly controlled" under an educational system which did not permit "free discussions and free arguments such as exist in our universities in Australia." The universities under the Red Chinese regime, he said, "are not the kind of academic institutions in the sense that ours are," and "quite contrary to our ideas of broad and liberal education." Another student of the same delegation said the Chinese Communists told them that "ninety-nine per cent of the Chinese people on the mainland are in agreement with the Communist regime in all their policies." When they asked to see and speak to the remaining one per cent, the Chinese Communists said: "They arc all in prison."
25 The Anti-Bolshevik Bloc of Nations representing 16 anti-Communist organizations in Europe sent accredited representatives to the Asian Peoples' Anti-Communist League, China Chapter, in Taipei in the persons of Julian Zablocky, his secretary Wolodymyr Kosyk and Mrs. Kosyk, all natives of Ukraine.
Kwong Yat-ping, an anti-Communist Chinese leader in India expelled by the Indian government because of his anti-Communist stand and his loyalty to the cause of the Republic of China, arrived in Taiwan. Stepping on the soil of his motherland, he said: "The support and loyalty of the overseas Chinese throughout the world to the Government of the Republic of China is clearly reflected in the patriotism of the more than ten thousand Chinese residing in India. In spite of the Indian government's threats and inducements, they support unanimously the Chinese national government on Taiwan."
26 The German-Chinese Friendship Society was inaugurated in Bonn. Ernest Majonica, member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the German Federal Parliament who visited Taiwan last November, was elected the Society's chairman. General von Falkenhausen once military adviser to President Chiang Kai-shek, is the Society's Honorary President. Its members, besides notable figures in German educational, economic, and industrial fields, include over 30 parliamentarians of the German Republic.
27 Greg MacGregor, New York Times correspondent in Hongkong, reported that Peiping has renewed its efforts to make mainland youths inform on their friends and relatives through an article in "Chung Kuo Ching Nien" or "China Youth," enjoining them to inform the Communist security police of their own parents' "suspicious actions." Peiing warned them at the same time against absorbing "counterrevolutionary ideas from close family association." MacGregor opined that the renewal of the campaign to turn children against their parents in the interest of Communism was an indication of Peiping's new concern over its state of security. Other reflections of this concern were the recent shift in Canton of thousands of public functionaries to remote farming areas, increased directives to the security police to exercise vigilance and increased pleas to anti-Communists on the mainland to surrender and repent.
Chang Ta-chien, a noted Chinese painter residing in Argentina, was awarded a gold medal by the International Fine Art Council in the United States in recognition of his achievements in Chinese painting.
28 Only about 5000 Chinese in Vietnam, constituting one per cent of the half-million Chinese born in that country, formally adopted Vietnamese citizenship in compliance with the Vietnamese governmental decree which reached its deadline on February 28, according to Chinese Legation sources.
March 1 Major General Frank S. Bowen, Chief of MAAG in Taiwan, said in an interview with the press that the 600,000-man military force on Taiwan is "the best in Asia." It is so good, he said, that the United States would "never have to commit any ground troops to defend the island against Chinese Communist attack."
2 At a press conference given to a visiting group of 33 American editors and commentators and 45 Chinese and foreign reporters stationed in Taipei, President Chiang Kai-shek reiterated his confidence in the ability of the Government to reconquer the mainland and declared that the liberation of the Chinese mainland from the Chinese Communists was the only way to restore peace in Asia. "The combat readiness and morale of the Chinese armed forces are at their peak now. All China needs today is American moral and material support. Our strength does not lie in the 600,000 men we have here alone. Our support will come in a large measure from the people on the mainland," he said. The President expressed the belief that within three months after Free China gained a foothold on the mainland coast, there would be desertions in the Communist rank and file and uprisings among the mainland population. "With 600,000 men plus ships and planes already on hand, Free China is now in a position to make a landing on any selected point along the mainland coast at any time," he declared. The President warned the United States to be on the alert against neutralism which, he said, though seemingly not as threatening as Communism, is "just as dangerous."
4 The 19th Changchia Hutuketu, 68, died of gastric cancer in the Taiwan University Hospital in Taipei. In his will, he said his spirit would not die and expressed his wish to continue to "spread the teachings of Buddha" and "help my country in the task of recovering the mainland and delivering my countrymen" from Communist rule. The will also charged Chen Ching-hsien, one of his associates, with the task of locating the 20th reincarnation of Changchia Hutuketu.
5 Dr. Santiago Claret, Cuban Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, presented his credentials to President Chiang Kai-shek. Dr. Claret lauded the Republic of China as "a land signal of generosity, noble tradition, and historical culture."
Dr. Miguel Angel Campos Y. Conde, who arrived in Taiwan together with Dr. Claret, formally opened the Cuban Legation of which he is Secretary and Charge d'Affaires.
6 William Teeling, the first British Parliamentarian to visit Free China since the Chinese Government's removal to Taiwan and the British Government's recognition of the Peiping regime, told the local press that the rapid development of Christian organizations on the island in an entirely free atmosphere is a great contrast to the religious persecutions on the Chinese mainland.
7 The Kuomintang's Seventh Central Committee concluded its four-day eighth Plenary Session.
8 Dr. Santiago Claret conferred the Order of "Honor y Merito," the highest order of the Republic of Cuba, on President Chiang Kai-shek on behalf of Cuban President Major General Fulgencio Batista y ZaIdival'.
The National Conference of Chinese Communities in the United States attended by 124 delegates from all parts of the country concluded its 3-day convention held in Washington. The Conference decided among other things to establish a permanent organization to be called All-American Chinese Communities Welfare Association which is to keep close liaison with the American Government as a representative organ of all Chinese communities in America for the promotion of their common welfare. One of the resolutions passed at the Conference called on the U. S. Congress to liberalize the outmoded and discriminatory immigration law which limits the immigration of Chinese into the U. S. to only 105 a year and to extend for another two years the 1953 Refugee Relief Act which expired last Dec. 31.
9 The government of Vietnam postponed the Feb. 29 deadline for the adoption of Vietnamese citizenship by Chinese born in Vietnam to April 8.
The efficiency of the Chinese army on Taiwan deeply impressed the 33-member group representing 243 American newspapers, television and radio organizations which visited Taiwan in the course of its world tour. Benjamin Franklin, President of the Associated Lecture Clubs in Topeka, Kansas, said: "Nowhere else could American money have been invested more profitably than in Taiwan which is now providing a true bastion against Communism in Asia." Ronald Woodyard, President of the Skyland Broadcasting Company in Dayton, Ohio, said, "I am, convinced the Chinese Army is the strongest in Asia."
Robert Murphy, U. S. Deputy Under-Secretary of State, speaking before cadets at the Citadel, a military college in Charleston, South Carolina, said it has been found "un-mistakable" that the Peiping regime supports every move made by the Soviet Union whether in Europe, the Middle East or the Far East. "Red China," he said, "continues to gather its strength, and its power has been firmly committed to support Moscow's efforts in repressing domestic and satellite dissidence, in launching new programs to disrupt the free world harmony and in dealing with such problems as those in the Middle East.... Every Soviet move and threat has its Chinese counterpart. Chou En-lai toured Asia to mobilize support for the Soviet Union's disruptive policies in the Middle East and encourage intransigent elements which might frustrate constructive resolutions and problems in that area. In foreign affairs every Soviet proposal and action finds Chinese endorsement."
Democratic Congressman John McCormack said that the 12,000,000 Chinese living abroad, particularly in Southeast Asia, are "important elements of strength" in combatting Communism throughout the world. "The power and influence of these fine Chinese, who are anti-Communist," he said, "in preventing the spread of Communism into the still free countries of Southeast Asia should not and cannot be underestimated by our country." In his message to the National Conference of Communities in the U. S., McCormack said: "The American people should insist that our government keep its promises and pledges made to other governments and this particularly relates to all agreements made by the United States with the Nationalist Chinese government in Formosa under President Chiang Kai-shek."
11 The Kuomintang announced its candidates for 21 mayoralties and magistracies and 55 candidates for provincial assemblymen. Huang Chi-jui, Deputy Secretary-General of the Kuomintang Central Committee who recently returned from a trip to the United States and European countries during which he studied city administration, was named KMT's candidate for the mayoralty of Taipei.
The 3,500-ton s. s. Pingtung sailed for Bangkok and Singapore thereby initiating direct shipping service between Taiwan and Southeast Asian countries.
12 U. S. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles denounced Communist China as an international criminal and said the United States will stand behind the National Chinese Government in a "statement of information" to the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) Council meeting in Canberra, Australia. He said the United States "adheres steadfastly to the three main aspects of its China policy." Under these aspects, Dulles said, the U.S. will continue to recognize the Republic of China, refuse to recognize the so-called "People's Republic of China," and oppose seating the Peiping regime in the United Nations as accredited representative of the "Republic of China" listed in the U. N. Charter.
Philippine Vice President Carlos Garcia said the Philippines welcomed U. S. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles' restatement of US policy toward Red China. The Philippines, he said, also remains firm in its policy against diplomatic relations with Red China and consequently against its admission to the United Nations. The opening of diplomatic relations between Manila and Peiping, he said, with consequent exchange of trade and immigration, would only expose the Philippines to subversion and infiltration.
Dr. Francisco Javier Conde Garcia, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Spain, presented his credentials to President Chiang Kai-shek. In presenting his credentials, Dr. Conde expressed on behalf of his country admiration for President Chiang's "able and inspiring" leadership. "Spain is fully aware of the hard and tenacious efforts taken by the Republic of China in order to maintain itself as the advanced bastion of the free would," the new Spanish Ambassador said.
13 William Teeling, Conservative Member of the British Parliament, lauded Taiwan as the "most stable region in Asia" at a press conference held before his departure for Hongkong after a 10-day visit in Taiwan. The Chinese armed forces, especially the air arm, he said, is the most effective deterrent to Communist aggression in this part of the world. In this sense, he considered the Republic of China a bulwark against the spread of Communism here and now. He said he had found the people on Taiwan living happily and enjoying the fullest extent of freedom under the government of the Republic of China. The way of life characterized by freedom and democracy in Taiwan would be "far more suitable" for the Chinese people than the life of Communist regimentation. He deplored the fact that the British people knew too little about the conditions in Taiwan. On the other hand, he said the British are well aware of the fact that the Communists are nothing but trouble-makers trying all their mischievous tricks to upset world peace. In case of war, he told the press, he was sure that the British will stand beside the Republic of China.
Arriving in Hongkong on the same day, Teeling told the press that politically Taiwan looked "very well organized and well run" and that "the people seem extremely happy."
15 The Foreign Ministry issued a statement which welcomed Secretary Dulles' statement of non-recognition of Peiping and opposition to its entry into the United Nations as a "clear, farsighted and statesmanlike pronouncement" and expressed the Chinese government's gratification over it.