December 16 is a day to be regretted and never to be forgotten by all the people of the Republic of China and the free world. President Carter's shameful betrayal of a sworn U.S. ally and faithful friend has met with united opposition both inside and outside the Republic of China. The first public response to this abrupt change in American policy was seen in front of the National Taiwan University (NTU), a center for the airing of public reaction to important issues. The NTU students erected a 20-meter long patriotic wall poster asking their fellow countrymen "to be firm with dignity, to be calm in time of adversity, and to courageously stand up and persist in fighting for the future of 17 million people in Taiwan, Penghu, Kinmen, and Matsu." More than 30,000 people from all walks of life stood in lines to read the poster and signed their names to reiterate their support for President Chiang Ching-kuo and the government. The poster also urged all Chinese to realize that "only we can save our country, only we can pave the way ahead for ourselves. A country in adversity needs a sagacious leader and an ever-changing age demands every one to be armed spiritually. There is no time for us to cry or feel sorry for ourselves; we must make our stand calmly, courageously and in unity!" The poster also declared opposition to those advocating Taiwan's independence, and urged all the people to dedicate themselves to the cause of maintaining the dignity of the Republic of China and toppling the tyrannical Chinese Communist regime so as to bring the Three Principles of the People back to the China mainland.

The government announced that the partial parliamentary elections were to be postponed and all campaign activities under way since December 8 were to be suspended until further notice. Despite the money and energy expended, all the candidates in Taipei supported the government's decision by taking down campaign signs, removing wall posters, dismantling their support groups and urging voters to keep calm, to stand united and to strengthen self-reliance. Some candidates immediately tore down their own portraits and propaganda slogans from the campaign vans and re-decorated them with President Chiang Ching-kuo's picture, with national flags, and with cloth strips bearing patriotic phrases. They then slowly traversed Chungshan North Road, broadcasting their appeals to the people to support the government. Hundreds of followers, each carrying a national flag walked behind the vans calling: "Long live the Republic of China!" and other slogans. Dr. Jeanne Tchong Koei Li, one of the most promising candidates for a seat in the legislature, pledged to continue her efforts to promote people-to-people diplomacy and denounced the U.S. action as a violation of the Carter Administration's claim to have an open foreign policy. Kang Ning-hsiang, one of the most influential independent politicians also pronounced: "With our nation in crisis, I don't have the heart to run for anything any more." The challenge nevertheless seemed to give the people an unexpected boost in morale.

A wave of anti-American sentiment rose throughout the country. More than 5000 people staged an angry protest outside U.S. installations in Taipei, throwing eggs, rocks and bottles, and shouting slogans such as "Carter the Clown" and "The Human Rights Hypocrite". Strong police contingents guarded the U.S. Embassy and set up barbed wire entanglements alongside the wall. Even with these precautions, furious students could not be prevented from plastering the embassy walls with protest banners. A young man even broke through the police lines, climbed into the tightly-guarded embassy, hoisted the national flag of the Republic of China, and sat down in silent protest. When asked his name, he proudly replied: "Chinese" His action was echoed by an old man who hoisted a flag in the barbed wire which won cheers and applause from the growing crowd.

Amidst the shock of being stabbed in the back by U.S. president Jimmy Carter through his decision to establish formal relations with the Communist Chinese regime, a wave of patriotism, the like of which had not been seen since 41 years ago on the China mainland when the Sino-Japanese war broke out, arose again throughout the nation. University students launched a donation campaign which was quickly responded to by thousands of people including leading businessmen, students, soldiers, housewives, retired servicemen, government employees and even children. A housewife donated NT$171,700 (US$4,700) which she had saved to buy a new house. She exclaimed: "What is the use of a new house if the nation is in a state of crisis." A retired serviceman contributed his life savings of NT$50,000. Yeh Chien-chao, a candidate for the legislature, donated NT$500,000, the balance of his campaign funds, to the government to build up the nation's defenses. Movie stars and popular singers also went out with collection boxes to solicit funds for national defense. Premier Y. S. Sun called the activities an expression of national confidence in the government. All funds raised will be turned over to the National Treasury for national defense purposes. The people remain convinced that the nation will finally prevail over all the difficulties and attain the goal of national recovery.

For a long time our people have relied heavily on the U.S. government. From December 16, 1978, we have stood up courageously. We have heard patriotic voices. We have lost our friends, but we have found ourselves. We enjoy high morale among our citizens and in the military. We have compatriots waiting for our return on the China mainland. We have loyal, firm and patriotic overseas Chinese in every corner of the world. There are many tasks ahead of us. We must turn our indignation to strength.

We must place our trust in our government, and change our diplomacy from defensive to offensive. The severance of our relations with the U.S. is not the beginning of helpless isolation; it is the end to passive dependence. The armed forces pledged their obedience to President Chiang's instructions to be on the alert for any Chinese Communist attempt to infiltrate and divide the nation. The combat pilots of the Air Force, and personnel of Navy and the Army have completed full scale preparations for war, and conducted patrols with heightened morale. All industrial and commercial leaders as well as ordinary citizens from all walks of life have vowed to devote their strength to help the government achieve the goal of stabilizing commodity prices and social security, in coordinating civilian industries with the national defense system, and finally in expanding trade and technical cooperation with foreign countries to win friends and markets all over the world.