A series of activities held in Hong Kong in May marked the fifteenth anniversary of the Mainland Exodus Wave. On May 15, more than two hundred refugees from mainland China paid their respects to the dead on the mainland. During the service, a youth publicly burned Volume Five of Mao's Books. People attending the service shouted in unison: "Long live the victory of the anti-Communist fight!"
President C. K. Yen decorated Dr. Edmundo Lopez Gomex, president of the Senate of the Republic of Colombia, with the Order of Brilliant Star with Special Grand Cordon on May 16. The decoration recognized his contributions to promoting Sino-Colombian mutual understanding and cooperation. The presentation ceremony took place at the Presidential Hall. Lopez said that he felt very proud of the honor. He also praised the Republic of China as a freedom bastion in Asia. He added that, on behalf of the people of Colombia, he expressed the wishes that the ROC may become more and more prosperous and will obtain the goal of mainland recovery at an early date.
Premier Chiang Ching-kuo traveled to Alien village in Kaohsiung County May 23 to inspect the Chung-chou No. 3 oil-well prospect of Chinese Petroleum Corporation. He also looked at the commercial and agricultural conditions of the neighboring area. Premier Chiang was accompanied by Chou Shu-kai, minister without portfolio and Soong Chang-chih, chief of the general staff. They were briefed by the manager of the Chinese Petroleum Corporation, then inspected the work and praised the workers.
Vice Admiral Robert B. Baldwin, Commander of the U. S. Seventh Fleet, arrived in Kaohsiung May 21 aboard his flagship, the guided missile cruiser USS Oklahoma City. He and the officers and crew of the flagship visited the city for three days. Admiral Baldwin called on Vice Admiral Chen, the Commander of the Tsoying fleet of the Chinese Navy. The Americans visited the city hall, the Kaohsiung harbor bureau, the export processing zone, a Buddhist shrine in southern Taiwan and exchanged souvenirs with their Chinese friends.