On Inspection with Premier Yu Kuo-hwa

Premier Yu's trips are an important part of his work, but many officials can tell you they are certainly not for entertainment. While the Premier is away, work piles up. The trips themselves, especially deciding where to go and what to see, are not always easy to arrange.

Local officials, eager to talk to and show around the Premier, sometimes put off eating or resting. And the weather is the least predictable thing of all, like the time that the Premier heard briefings on an electricity generating plant in a makeshift tent, after the party was caught in a torrential downpour.

Premier Yu has undertaken two inspection tours. The first, in only his second month as Premier, in 1984, was a non-stop trip to each of the province's 21 counties and cities, plus Quemoy and Matsu. This time the tour, also hitting all 21 counties and cities, was spread over sixteen months, in one-to three-day forays.

On each of these trips, the Premier emerged dusty and tired from the road in order to busily make inspections and hear briefings, after which he asked questions and gave advice or instruction. He earnestly explained areas of coordination between the local and central authorities, and asked about both politics and--with local residents--daily life. He very thoroughly inquired about local construction.

Recently, he has asked often about pollution and environmental protection. He also always stresses the important contributions of labor to economic development and encourages people to give labor its due protections and rights. He also asks everyone to pay attention to local harmony, education, and more. . . .

The Premier cannot help but draw a crowd wherever he goes; some come to welcome him, some come out of curiosity.

Here is a sample from the Premier's travels.

The Premier was on a trip to Omei, southernmost "hsiang" (an administrative unit of the ROC) of Hsinchu County. The plan was to see two places: the newly built Funong Community in Fuhsing Village, and the other a tea-growing cooperative.

Because Fuhsing Village is in a poor mountainous area, going to school and for medical care was inconvenient for local people. So the Hsinchu government began construction of the Funong Community in 1984.

When the Premier was taken by the Hsinchu County Magistrate, Chen Chin-hsing, to visit there, he was suddenly approached from the crowd by a woman in her thirties, who politely invited the Premier to her home for tea.

After the tea had been poured, they chatted about her home. The Premier asked whether the refrigerator and television were her own, and about whether the water and electricity worked properly, smiling approvingly to the affirmative answers.

But as Premier Yu was about to leave, the woman said sheepishly "But the gas hasn't been hooked up yet."

In response to Premier Yu's obvious concern, the County Magistrate explained that the application process to extend piping to the community was still ongoing. The Premier then told the woman, "It will come step by step, don't worry." Then he said to the County Magistrate, "This could be looked into."

"Thank you, Premier," she said, with satisfaction.

Omei Hsiang's tea leaves have the famous name "Tea of the Oriental Beauty," supposedly bestowed by an early British queen fond of drinking it.

When the Premier visited the tea-growing cooperative, he was given a bag of extremely precious tea leaves by 49-yearold Lee Yi-kuang, this year's champion tea grower in the hsiang. The tea was presented with the words "Quality guaranteed; the Premier will know the moment he drinks it."

The gift expressed Lee's respect and good wishes for the Premier. Perhaps amidst his busy schedule the Premier would be able to enjoy some truly fine tea. But Lee also added that the Premier's visit might also help boost further the fame of their tea.

As you can read, it is working already.

[Picture Caption]

What could it be that would make Premier Yu Kuo-hwa laugh this much? (photo by Chiu Sheng-wang)

You guess what they're doing. They are, from the left, Chao Yao-tong, Director of the Council for Economic Planning and Development, Premier Yu, Minister of Economic Affairs Lee Ta-hai, and Taipower Chairman Fu Tse-han.

When the Premier goes out, it's impossible to avoid drawing a crowd. (photo by Chiu Sheng-wang)

Sometimes going on inspection can really bring the Premier down; this picture, taken in July, is one of the Premier checking up on the new subway.

You guess what they're doing. They are, from the left, Chao Yao-tong, Director of the Council for Economic Planning and Development, Premier Yu, Minister of Economic Affairs Lee Ta-hai, and Taipower Chairman Fu Tse-han.

When the Premier goes out, it's impossible to avoid drawing a crowd. （photo by Chiu Sheng-wang）

Sometimes going on inspection can really bring the Premier down; this picture, taken in July, is one of the Premier checking up on the new subway.