For several decades, the government of the Republic of China has put in strenuous efforts to create a better environment and improve the living standards of the people. It has been helped recently by the rapid development of industry and trade in Taiwan. Compared with the progress in urban areas, however, development in a few outlying rural districts has been less than ideal. During his term of office as premier, President Chiang Ching-kuo, recognized that much needed to be done as he toured these remote areas, even though some basic construction projects had already been completed. Consequently, in November of last year, the Executive Yuan drew up and implemented a plan to accelerate improvements in the living standards of people in these remote areas

Of the nine tribes comprising 300,000 aborigines in Taiwan, the smallest is the Lukai. Living in a backward area in and around Wutai township in the Central Mountain Range about 939 meters above sea level, the natives used to have difficulties in communicating with the outside world, since it took about five hours walk one way. Often, floods, and typhoons completely cut communications. In 1977, therefore, the Taiwan Provincial Government decided to move the village down from the mountain area. Schools, a police station, clinic, village public office, 100 new residences, parks and activities centers are included in the new community, which cost more than NT$20 million to develop.

Development in the remote areas of Taitung and Pingtung Counties are also noteworthy. Hsinchang village in Taitung has greatly benefited from the cooperative management system in agriculture and mechanized cultivation as instructed and sponsored by the government. The government has also encouraged aborigines to increase their agricultural, fishery and animal husbandry activities in villages such as Lichia. With the local residents' cooperation and all-out efforts, living standards in the area have been considerably improved.

Forty-seven miles off the coast of southeastern Taiwan lies a remote and relatively unspoiled "living museum" known as Lan Yu or Orchid Island, the home of the Yami aborigine tribe. The isolation of the tiny island has kept outside influences at bay until recently, and the inhabitants enjoyed a simple life of fishing, skin diving, and growing millet, sweet potatoes, taro and a few fruits.

Since the Yami tribesmen were satisfied and reluctant to change their way of life, the government realized that education was the most direct way to promote their living standards. Chou Chao-chieh, a teacher in the Lan Yu Primary School, said that at first, objections from parents, and the students' lack of imagination caused by absence of cultural stimulus from the outside world held back progress. Now, the island has four primary schools and a middle school.

Previously, the Yamis lived in stone houses dug into the ground with low-profile thatched roofs, and little or no sanitation. To improve the Yamis' living environment, the government started to erect houses for them in 1966. At present, of the island's 665 families, 561 have been accommodated in the new buildings.

In addition, expansion of fruit tree plantation areas, holding training courses for fisherman, provision of modern fishing boats and equipment, and loans to start businesses, have all substantially improved the living standards of the aborigine tribesmen on the island.

Pictures show the Lan Yu airport (above left), modern fishing boats (below left), and the students of the Lan Yu Middle School learning how to make handicraft items.

Situated 18 nautical miles southeast of Taitung County, Lu Tao or Green Island is a volcanic island. Although limited by terrain and geological structure, the island is especially suitable for raising grass fodder for mayhua (plum blossom), or formosan spotted deer (picture above right). Government agricultural experts decided to help the inhabitants set up deer pens, increase planting of grass to be used as fodder and sponsor animal husbandry education to develop the industry. Harvesting such valuable folk medicine as young deer antlers and ginseng have not only increased the earnings of low-income families on the island, but also provided funds to promote construction. Picture above left shows an array of modern fishing boats.

Projects completed on Penghu, or the Pescadores islands, provide a typical example of the government's achievements in this direction. The greatest concern for the inhabitants of these islands, located in the Taiwan Straits off the midwestern Taiwan coast, is the provision of water supplies. With an area of 64.26 square kilometers, Penghu has an average rainfall of only 1,000 mm. a year, which is not sufficient. To make matters worse, the islands are mostly flat (highest elevation, Mount Mao is only 73 meters above sea level), and the dark igneous basalt rock is porous. Since little water collects on the surface, the inhabitants of Penghu have in the past traditionally relied on wells for their water supplies. Recently, an increase in population as well as the ever-growing number of tourists visiting the islands (about 400,000 a year) has boosted consumption dramatically, and underground water has gradually been exhausted. In any case, most of the 30-odd wells on the islands have become polluted with salt water seeping in from the sea.

In 1973, therefore, the government completed the first reservoir on the island at Chengkung, with a storage capacity of 1.5 million tons of water. Since demand soon overtook this supply, the government in 1978 decided to construct the Hsinjen and Tunwei dams, which will be completed at the end of this year. By that time, water shortages on the Pescadores will be a thing of the past.

a view of the Pingtung Machia Middle School and Primary School

a choir at the Tsaopu Primary School

touring medical service center provided by the Sanitary Bureau of Pingtung County

a member of the Paiwan tribe.

Aborigines dance in celebration of the first anniversary of the inauguration of President Chiang Ching-kuo and Vice President Shieh Tung-min

a folk dance performance by children at the Tungho County sports meet

children of aborigines in Hsinchang village in Taitung County; an aborigine of the Ami tribe making a mortar and pestle to de-husk rice

an aborigine of the Ami tribe making a mortar and pestle to de-husk rice

improved species of papaya

the aborigines' traditional way of weaving colorful cloth

The magnificent Penghu Bay Bridge

Kuan-yin (the Goddess of Mercy) Pavilion in the dusk

two views of Lintou Park

a water tower

coral, a special product of the Pescadores

the touring medical service center stationed at Chiangmei village.