More than 50,000 took part, including "government officials, members of the Taipei diplomatic corps, visiting foreign dignitaries and representatives from all walks of life.
A declaration called upon freedom-loving peoples of the world and oppressed people on the Chinese mainland to join hands in the struggle against Communism.
President Yen Chia-kan told the rally that the future of the anti-Communist movement is bright.
He encouraged enslaved peoples to rise against tyranny and for freedom.
Emphasizing the importance of liberty, the President said "Freedom is one of man's fundamental rights and the goal of our common endeavors."
President Yen linked freedom with justice, saying, "Freedom is the signpost of justice. This is to say that freedom can be reached only by upholding justice."
The President declared that this is the crucial moment in which to extinguish Communist slavery and safeguard democracy and freedom.
The Kuomintang held its 1976 workshop in Taipei. Party Chairman Chiang Ching-kuo said "the most urgent and important task for us in the freedom bastion of the Taiwan area is the implementation of political renovation."
Presiding over the opening session, the Chairman urged participants to be open-minded and objective in reviewing KMT operations of the past and in charting a new course for the future.
Attending were party officials and members holding high administrative posts in Taiwan Province, Taipei City and cities under the jurisdiction of Taiwan Province.
"The Kuomintang is a revolutionary and democratic political party," Chairman Chiang said. "To accomplish the National Revolution, we must promote fully the democratic spirit. Our National Revolution strives for realization of the lofty ideal of democracy."
The emergence of the Chinese Communist party has been a tragedy for China, Chiang said. "Only after we destroy the Chinese Communist regime on the mainland can we say that our National Revolution has been completed," the Chairman said.
Dr. Chang Pao-shu, secretary general of the KMT Central Committee, reported on the party's activities and plans.
The three-day workshop was held in preparation for the 11th Kuomintang National Congress in November.
Chairman and Premier Chiang Ching-kuo attributed success of the administration in the last four years to the esprit de corps among the members of the Cabinet.
He said that under the leadership of President Chiang Kai-shek, the nation had weathered 26 years of hazards and storms.
After the death of the national leader, the country faced even greater difficulties. Thanks to the teamwork of people and government, the nation weathered all hardships and emerged stronger than ever.
The Premier said correct leadership plays an important role in achieving any public goal. A sound personnel system helps to promote progress and ward off corruption, he added.
Wide-ranging visits to cities and counties of the province and to the offshore islands convinced the Premier that the human factor is crucial in doing things correctly.
The government's policy, he said, is to promote wise and diligent officials who dedicate themselves to their jobs and make sacrifices for the nation, the government and the people.
Premier Chiang said those who fishing in troubled waters, act selfishly and plant rumors for their own benefit will sooner or later be expelled from government.
The Premier denounced inefficient and redundant organization. He said the government would rather have a few able people and pay them well than hire a lot of idlers who do nothing.
The Premier said that broadminded officials with correct attitudes must always combat the wrongs of bureaucracy.
It is a shame for the nation when officials are supercilious and waste public money.
To assure mainland recovery, the Premier concluded, "we must depend on ourselves to achieve the victory."
Mayors and magistrates of Taiwan Province held their 1976 symposium at the seat of the Taiwan Provincial Government.
Taiwan Governor Hsieh Tung-min, who presided, called on those attending to carry out promises made during their election campaigns. He urged administrators to:
- Make preparations for the equalization of the land rights program to be carried
out next year.
- Build more stadiums, libraries and auditoriums.
- Combat litter.
- Plan for urbanization and industrialization.
- Strengthen sanitation.
Premier Chiang Ching-kuo urged mayors and magistrates to "Sit up straight, stand firm and do right" so as to serve all the people.
"It makes no difference whether a man lives a long life," the Premier said. "It is important that he do as many things as he can and not waste time," he added.
The Premier said the country's political administration is far from perfect. Traditional bureaucratic habits still prevail and need to be changed.
He urged administrators to carry out the ideals of the Three Principles of the People and speed the day of return to the mainland.
Corruption in banking institutions was strongly condemned by Premier Chiang. He told a Cabinet meeting that some banks have been run as though they were profitmaking tools of private individuals.
In screening loan applications, bank executives have ignored the merits of the cases and government policy. Personal relationships and influence peddling have been prevalent, Premier Chiang said.
"Such practices have impeded economic growth and seriously affected the interests of the nation," he said.
Premier Chiang called on the Cabinet's financial and economic specialists to review the banking system with a view to complete overhaul.
He suggested a rotation system for banking personnel and a stronger credit information service.
Warning against overreaction to the Chi Ta corruption case, Chiang urged bankers to discharge their duties conscientiously. Goldbricking because of severe Chi Ta punishments cannot be tolerated, he said.
While pledging government support of business, the Premier called upon enterprises to reduce costs, modernize facilities and introduce new technology.
Premier Chiang made these other points:
- Government will make every effort in implementing the Six-Year Economic
Development Plan which began this year.
- Communications have registered satisfactory progress overall, but
shortcomings abound in the transportation sector.
- While progress has been made in the education, there is still much room for
improvement.
- Punishment of erring law enforcement officials must be particularly severe.
Corruption in the judiciary implies the collapse of social justice.
Mrs. Anna Chennault, widow of the Flying Tigers' commander, urged the U.S. Republican party to take a strong stand against derecognition of the Republic of China.
Testifying before the Platform Committee of the Republican National Convention, she urged a stand against any abrogation of the U.S. mutual defense treaty with free China.
Mrs. Chennault said derecognition and abrogation of the treaty "would have the most serious effect on the existing balance of power in East Asia." She said:
- Abandonment of the ROC would arouse apprehension and distrust in South
Korea, Japan and other free East Asian countries, and would damage U.S.
prestige in Asia.
- Abrogation of the defense treaty would create a gaping hole in the U.S. chain
of defenses stretching from the Aleutian Islands to Australia and New Zealand.
- Peiping would feel compelled to invade Taiwan to escape Russian taunts of
"paper tiger."
Mrs. Chennault called attention to power struggle and serious economic problems in Red China. Recognition of Peiping would not benefit Washing ton, she said.
The Republic of China has been a loyal ally, a good friend and an important trading partner of the United States, Mrs. Chennault added. The ROC is also making "a valuable contribution to the maintenance of peace and security in the Western Pacific." She agreed with Senator Hiram Fong's suggestion that the best U.S. China policy is to "leave things alone and let the dust settle."
Dr. Joseph Schiebel also told the GOP Platform Committee the United States should not recognize the Peiping regime at the expense of its ties with Taipei. Dr. Schiebel, vice chairman of the Committee for a Free China, stated that severing U.S. official relations with Taipei at Peiping's demand "must be rejected as inconsistent with principle, common sense and national interest."
The Peiping regime, he said, is "demonstrably in deep trouble." Political instability on the mainland argues against a policy of "normalization," the Georgetown University professor suggested.
Dr. Schiebel told the committee that long-range U.S. policy toward China should be "to work peacefully and patiently for the return of the Chinese people to the free world under a government that represents them, their history, their traditions ... and their true interest."
Senior U.S. officials do not expect any significant change in relations with the Republic of China or with Red China until wel1 into a new administration at the earliest, the Washington Star reported.
Henry Bradsher, a veteran China expert of the paper, said "there are no pressing reasons to make any change." He pointed out that the official U.S. view runs contrary to the suggestion of recognizing Peiping before Mao Tse-tung dies in order to influence the course of mainland events.
Bradsher said "some officials question whether recognizing Peking offers an advantage over the present working relationship there and formal relations with Taiwan."
One unnamed American official told Bradsher that the Chinese Communists were more concerned with worldwide U.S. policies, especial1y its resolve to resist Soviet expansion, than with the technical nature of relations.
Noting that the U.S. press had made much of the withdrawal of six American military personnel from Kinmen and Matsu, Bradsher reported that American officials do not expect the episode to change the basic outlook of Washington's China policy.
U.S. government officials, Bradsher said, feel "there is no genuine popular demand to change the present status." Besides, these officials pointed out, Peiping is not demanding any change.
U.S. State and Defense Department officials confirmed that the Republic of China will purchase a US$34 million air defense system from the Hughes Aircraft Corp.
State Department officials said the deal was in line with the U.S. policy of helping the Republic of China modernize its defenses.
The sources said the Ford Administration has no present plans to recognize Peiping.
The Hughes equipment reportedly will be financed from ROC resources, commercial credits and some U.S. military sales credits.
Informed sources also disclosed Taiwan plans to build 60 more F5E fighters by arrangement with Northrop of the United States. So far 100 fighters have been produced.
American recognition of Red China is not inevitable because there are too many variables involved, a ranking official of the Kuomintang declared.
Talk of U.S. recognition of the Maoist regime is nothing new, according to Wu Chun-tsai, director of the Department of Culture and Information of the KMT Central Committee.
The proposal was first heard when the Communists were overruning the Chinese mainland, Wu said.
As he sees it, variables include the American presidential election, the foreign policy of the new president, Soviet reaction to stepped-up Washington-Peiping cooperation, internal developments in the Chinese Communist regime and the response of the Far Eastern countries.
''We in the Republic of China have our own plans and countermeasures," Wu said. "None of these factors is definitely in favor of the 'normalization' of relations between Washington and Peiping."
Wu noted that President Ford had sent another Congressional mission to visit the mainland.
"The Congressional visitors should have been able to see for themselves that the Maoist regime is fragmented and neither strong nor stable nor supported by the masses," he said.
The Ford administration has repeatedly stated that there is no timetable in the "normalization" process, Wu said. "If the United States is real1y going to recognize the Maoist regime after the presidential election, one has to assume that President Ford will win re-election. But that is only a possibility, not a certainty.
"Since our evacuation from the mainland and the issuance of the white paper by the U.S. government, Sino-American relations have been subjected to a test almost every day.
"We have been doing our best to strengthen bilateral ties and have never doubted the American people's traditional love for democracy and their advocacy of international justice. We are convinced that the American government, for the sake of long-range American interests, will not reach emotional and hasty decisions but will be rational and cool when the time comes to make a choice."
Wu described the Republic of China as "the most loyal and reliable American al1y in the Western Pacific" as well as an "indispensable and irreplaceable" American ally because of strategic position and accomplishments.
The KMT leader condemned the secessionist movement, saying that those who are agitating for "Taiwan independence" are actually being used by the Chinese Communists to undermine free China from within.
He predicted the cause of the secessionists is doomed. "If the Republic of China did not exist, there wouldn't be freedom for anybody to chant Taiwan independence," he said.
"That's impossible" was the comment of a government spokesman on a press report that the Republic of China is considering leasing Makung to the Russians as a naval base.
Chung Hu-ping, spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said: "I haven't seen the report yet. But that's impossible. Such a move is inconceivabe because it is against the policy of the government," Chung said.
Maj. Gen. Li Chang-hao, spokesman for the Ministry of National Defense, said that he knew nothing about the matter. General Li said Chinese forces stationed at Nansha in the Spratly Islands would fight if circumstances required. The Republic of China has reiterated its sovereignty over the Hsisha Islands (Paracels).
In a written statement, the Executive Yuan said the islands have long been an inalienable part of the territory of the Republic of China. The Interior Ministry named the islets of the Nansha (Spratly) group, Hsisha (Paracel), Tungsha (Pratas) and Chungsha Islands on Spetember 4, 1974, and placed them under Kwangtung province. Armed forces are stationed on Taiping Island of the Hsisha Islands.
The Executive Yuan refuted the Vietnamese claim to sovereignty over the Hsisha Islands.
General Li said withdrawal of MAAG personnel from Kinmen and Matsu will not affect the offshore islands. He was commenting on the removal of six U.S. military advisers.
Noting that the offshore islands are solidly fortified, Li said the Republic of China is confident of repelling any invasion.
He said that the duties of American military advisers are to assist in training.
''They have no direct responsibility for defense of the Republic of China," he said.
NT$1400 billion (US$ 36.8 billion) will be spent to finance the Six-Year Economic Development Plan which started this year, the Economic Planning Council said.
EPC has completed details of the master plan, which will be submitted to the Cabinet for deliberation.
Fourteen months in the making, the 250,000word plan is the brainchild of economists and specialists. These are goals:
- Annual growth of 7.5 per cent with per capita income rising to US$1,334 in 1981.
- Population growth of 1.8 per cent a year with the population reaching 17,910,000 by 1981 and the unemployment rate dropping from 3.7 per cent in 1975 to 3 per cent in 1981.
- Trade growth of 10.6 per cent for imports and 12.2 per cent for exports with a slight trade surplus by 1981.
- Inflation of less than 5 per cent annually. The economic structure of the country will be further shifted to industry but continued growth of agriculture will still be sought.
Annual growth of 2.5 per cent is set for agriculture. But agricultural output will drop from 1975's 14 per cent to 10.5 per cent of the gross national product by 1981.
Industrial production will rise from 35 to 39 per cent of the GNP in the six-year period. Annual growth of manufacturing is set at 9.5 per cent.
There will be greater emphasis on capital- and technology-intensive industries. By 1981, these industries will account for 44.7 per cent of the manufacturing industries, compared with 1975's 36.9 per cent.
The annual growth target for power is 8.3 per cent, while that for transportation and communications is 8.9 per cent.
Bonds totaling NT$2.5 billion (about US$68.4 million) will be floated to finance second-phase construction of Taichung Harbor.
The bonds will be issued as follows: NT$1,090 million in fiscal 1977, NT$410 million in fiscal 1978, NT$ 700 million in fiscal 1979 and NT$360 million in fiscal 1980.
Second-stage construction of the harbor starts November I this year and runs until October 31 of 1979.
Kaohsiung's port congestion and surface traffic jam will disappear by 1978 following the completion of a five-year program now under way, said Li Lien-chih, director of the Kaohsiung Harbor Bureau.
At the end of the third year, port congestion is no longer serious.
Cargo handling capacity will rise to about 55 million metric tons annually.
Kaohsiung has the assets to become a ranking seaport and container shipping center. These include good climate, natural harbor, adequate hinterland and convenient location in the Western Pacific.
The first container terminal became operational in November, 1970, and a second followed the next year. The third terminal construction will be opened in 1981. Kaohsiung will have 11 container piers and 13 gantry cranes.
In 1971, the harbor handled only 27,000 containers. The number rose to 70,000 in 1972, 166,000 in 1973, 192,000 in 1974 and 225,000 in 1975.
An 80,000-ton silo is being built to handle the ever-increasing arrivals of grain. This will augment two 40,000-ton silos.
Taiwan is importing 3 million metric tons of grain and imports will reach 5 million metric tons by 1981.
The new silo is financed by a consortium of Japanese and U.S. interests on land offered by the Kaohsiung Harbor Administration. The consortium will use the silo unconditionally for a year, after which the administration will take over without compensation.
Taichung harbor will be opened to shipping upon completion of first-phase construction October 31.
Started in October, 1973, the harbor will be completed in three stages: the second in October, 1979, and the third in October, 1982.
In the first stage, 111 huge caissons ranging from 2,000 to 4,000 tons each are being used to build breakwaters, groins and deepwater piers.
A windbreak of trees and plants have been built on earth dredged from the harbor.
Work on other construction projects, including a terminal building, drainage system, water and power supply systems and access roads, is proceeding smoothly.
Annual capacity in the initial stage of operation is estimated at 2.8 million tons.
Shore facilities will be opened to private operation. The warehouses and transit sheds for the general cargo berths from Pier 5 to Pier 8 will be invested and operated by a Taichung warehouse company. Pier 3 will be a temporary container terminal served by the China Container Terminal Corporation.
Piers 1 and 2 will be used as grain and bulk terminals, but no investors have yet shown interest, mainly because of high cost and low rate of financial return. The harbor bureau will invest in tugs, ferry boats and ship repairs.
China Petroleum's 100,000-ton tanker enters Kaohsiung drydock of China Shipbuilding for repairs. (File photo)
The million-ton drydock of the newly completed Kaohsiung shipyard has become operational. A 26,000-ton bulk carrier entered for five-day overhaul.
Construction of a 445,000-ton tanker, which is to be delivered to its owner in October next year was 20 per cent complete by July, a China Shipbuilding Corporation spokesman said.
Gatx Oswego Corporation of the United States, owner of the tanker, originally ordered four vessels. Two orders were canceled with payment of compensation.
Construction of the second tanker will be completed in April, 1978.
China Merchants Steam Navigation Company is expected to sign a contract with the China Shipbuilding Corporation for four bulk carriers of 28,000 tons. Each ship will cost US$13.5 million.
CSBC has received government instructions to give top priority to building ships for Chinese companies.
Volume of traffic on the partially opened freeway between Sanchung and Yangmei rose from 2.6 million vehicles in the first year to 3.6 million in the second year, Hu Mei-huang, director of the Taiwan Area Freeway Construction Bureau, reported. The increase was about 38 per cent.
Another section between the interchange on Chungking North Road in Taipei and Sanchung is opening this month. That from Keelung to Neihu will open in December.
Traffic accidents in the second year declined by 41 per cent and the number of casualties by 55 per cent.
The 373.4-kilometer toll road will be completed before the end of 1978 on schedule.
Sections to be completed in 1977 will include that from Neihu to Sungkiang Road in August, Sunkiang Road to Chungking North Road in December, Yangmei to Hsinchu in September, Fengyuan to Taichung in June, Miaoli to Fengyuan and Taichung to Changhua in December and Tainan to Fengshan in September.
Paddy totaling 41,868.87 hectares was damaged by flood in the wake of Typhoon Ruby, which didn't even land on the island. Torrential rains followed the storm.
The Taiwan Food Bureau said crops were wholly destroyed on 6,445.16 hectares, or 1.76 per cent of the planted area.
Of the damaged area 41,203.67 hectares were planted to the first rice crop.
The heaviest damage occurred in Changhua, Taichung, Hualien and Taipei counties.
The Taiwan Food Bureau bought damaged rice from farmers and sold it to the Taiwan Tobacco and Wine Monopoly Bureau to make wine.
The Joint Commission on Rural Reconstruction is planning to increase and diversify production of animal feed - mainly maize and soybeans - to reduce dependence on imports and stabilize prices.
Feed costs account for 80 per cent of the overall cost in raising hogs and chickens, and 80 per cent of feeds are imported.
The raising of grass stocks will be one of the measures.
Slopeland will be turned into pasture land and new strains of feeds introduced. Agricultural by-products will be used to feed cattle, hogs and domestic fowl.
Fertilizer production in fiscal 1977 will amount to 960,000 metric tons. An official of the Taiwan Fertilizer Company said 2 million tons of fertilizers is available to farmers. There should be a surplus of more than 500,000 metric tons.
TFC will invest NT$4,700 million in the next few years in the production of liquid ammonia urea and melamine. Investment projects include:
- Improvement of the Nankang plant, which will use natural gas to produce liquid ammonia.
- Construction of a second liquid ammonia and urea plant in Miaoli by July of next year. The plant will produce 300,000 tons of ammonia and 186,000 tons of urea annually.
- Installation of facilities to produce 200,000 tons of compound fertilizers annually at the Nankang plant.
- Melamine factory of 10,000 tons annual capacity at Hsinchu to be completed in November, 1977.
NT$1,000 million will be spent in the next few years on farm mechanization, a government official said.
Money will be loaned to farmers to help them buy machinery, including power tillers, rice dryers, planters, combines and tractors.
The government began to promote farm mechanization in 1972. Since then, loans totaling NT$1,784 million have been extended for the purchase of 25,918 machines.
Five new farming machine centers will be established this year, raising the number to 38. Centers provide maintenance and train farmers.
The government plans to build 64 granaries to store rice. Some are already under construction.
Eighteen warehouses for fertilizers will also be built at a cost of NT$93.5 million.
The government spent NT$80 million in fiscal 1975 to build 77 granaries for Farmers' Associations. Storage space is provided for 34,560 metric tons of rice.
Governor Hsieh Tung-min said he will do his best to help Taiwan become a model province of the Three Principles of the People, the political ideals of the country's Founding Father, Dr. Sun Yat-sen.
"Many things have been done in past few years," he said. "Yet there are many more to be completed, such as the well-to-do program and the drive to eliminate litter and disorder."
The governor said the Provincial Government has undertaken plans to train workers and technicians and thus enable jobseekers to find employment in government or private enterprises.
Participants receive subsidies and loans from the government during the period of vocational training.
Governor Hsieh said NT$568,218,000 will be put aside in a five-year plan starting in fiscal 1977 to improve living conditions in remote areas.
Commenting on railway accidents, the governor said engineers will be retrained and rolling stock checked more often and maintained more carefully.