The United Nations Special Fund and the Developing Country:

A Case Study of Taiwan’s Experience in the 1960s
Chang Li 張力,
Academia Sinica, Institute of Modern History 中央研究院, 近代史研究所
Prepared for: Network in Times and Transition:
Toward a Transcultural History of International Organizations
University of Heidelberg, Germany, 2010

Abstract
The United Nations Special Fund was established in October 1958 by the United Nations
General Assembly under Resolution 1240 (XIII), and it commenced its activities in 1959. The
Special Fund concentrated on surveys of resources, the establishment of vocational andadvanced technical training institutions and industrial research centers, all of which wereintended to lead to investment or to greater productivity. In 1960 the government of the
Republic of China on Taiwan concluded a basic agreement with the United Nations Special
Fund. From all submitted project requests eighteen projects were approved. This study
attempts to examine the implementations of these projects before Taiwan withdrew fromthe United Nations in October 1971. I will argue that the Special Fund’s assistance helped
Taiwan achieve economic growth in the 1960s and 1970s.

_______________________________________________________________

Introduction
The formations of the League of Nations and the United Nations (UN) in the 20 th
century marked great milestones in the course of human history. The League of
Nations was formed shortly after World War I, and 63 nations were granted themembership. The high amount of member nations was distinctive of thisorganization, but what really made this organization unique was its goal topromote international cooperation through building communications between
nations, in attempt to bridge the economic and cultural gap between nations andtherefore achieve world peace in a short time. This goal was deemed meaningful
and therefore, in 1939, the Bruce Commission in its report “recommended the
expansion of the existing economic and social activities of the organisation, andthe establishment of a high-powered council within the League to organise thiswork.” 1 The United Nations that was formed during World War II clearly replaced
the League of Nations with a higher amount of members, a more structured
organization, and a more powerful function, and also with a special focus oninternational cooperation.
The Republic of China (ROC) was one of the founding members of the League of
Nations and had frequent contact with its member nations from 1920s to early
1940s through technical cooperation. The experts that were sent to China by the
League helped improve the medical, education, economic situation and contributed
to the modernization of infrastructure in China.2 When the UN was formed, theRepublic of China was not only one of the founding nations but also a permanent
member of the United Nations Security Council, and the international status of ROC
was therefore greatly promoted. However, the Chinese civil war broke out, and the1

ROC government moved to the island of Taiwan in 1949. Although the ROC
remained a member of the UN and a permanent member of the UNSC until October
1971 when the People’s Republic of China (PRC) took over the seat of China in theUN, the ROC depended heavily on the United States of America (USA) for its
international status and even its existence since 1949.
Taiwan was a Japanese colony before it was restored to the ROC government.
During the Pacific War, its developing economy and infrastructure was heavily
damaged. To support the army and the refugees that fled to Taiwan in 1949, theROC government put much attention on building both the economy and theinfrastructure. From 1950s to mid-1960s, although the USA played a major role inaiding the ROC government, the government also sought funding from different
international organizations. The UN formed the United Nations Relief andRehabilitation Administration (UNRRA) after World War II to aid nations for post-war
recovery efforts, and the ROC was one of the nations that received the fund.
Throughout 1950s and 1960s, the UN approved funding for the ROC through four
programs:
1.

2.

3.

4.

The United Nations Technical Assistance Regular Program (UNTARP):
The purpose of this program was to hire experts to provide service in
Taiwan and to send people abroad to study. By the end of 1970, ROC
received a total amount of US$ 479000 from the UNRRA, an annual
average of US$ 60000.
United Nations Expanded Programs of Technical Assistance (UNEPTA):
The purpose was to hire experts to Taiwan, provide fund for people tostudy abroad, and to buy equipments. By the end of 1970, the ROC
received a total amount of US$ 4180000, on an average of US$ 300000
per year.
United Nations Special Fund (UNSF): The purpose of this fund is toprovide for the need of human resources, equipments, and study
programs for the construction and economic development plans. 18
plans that the ROC proposed were approved, and the ROC received a
total amount of more than US$ 12 million.
United Nations Industrial Development Organization Program: The
purpose was to provide support for industrial plans and to hire experts toserve in the ROC and send people abroad to study. The amount granted was
different each year, and the ROC received a total amount of US$ 300000
from 1967 to the end of 1970.3

This paper focuses on the technical assistance to Taiwan through the UNSF. The
UNSF was formed in 1959, and it concentrated its assistance on the projects
intended to lead to investment or to greater productivity, such as the surveys ofresources and the establishment of vocational and advanced technical training
institutions and industrial research centers. The source of the Special Fund and all
the above mentioned programs came from UN members, so, after its proposal wasapproved, a nation not only received funding from the UN but also must provide
counterpart contribution for its own proposal and must complete the proposed
projects within a limited time frame.4 The UNSF and the UNEPTA merged into
United Nations Development Program in 1965 and the assessment and execution
methods remained the same.
Throughout 1960s, the ROC applied for funding from either the technicalassistance programs or the Special Fund each year to fund its infrastructure and2economic development projects. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) originally
led the proposal efforts until, in September 1963, when the Council forInternational Economic Cooperation and Development (CIECD, now Council for
Economic Planning and Development) was formed under the Executive Yuan toorganize, assess, and compile projects proposed by other government offices. The
compiled project was then submitted to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs which thensubmitted the project to the Special Fund Governing Council for review. It normally
took a year for the Governing Council to reply the final result. After being granted
the fund, a plan of operation was signed between the nation and the UNSF. During
the course of operation, the government project representative and all related
government offices had to be close cooperation with the CIECD and the MOFA forthe success of the projects.5
The table below shows the 18 ROC-proposed projects that were granted with theSpecial Fund.

Projects in Taiwan approved by the UNSF
Projects

Duration

UNSF
Allocation(US$)

ROC Government
Counterpart
Contribution (US$)

Hydraulic Development Projects

1960-1962

321, 450

198,475

Training and Research Center for
Telecommunication and Electronics

1961-1965

334, 825

278,000

Auto Technician and Instructor
Training Center

1962-1966

657,300

506,600

Metal Industries Development Center

1963-1968

1,039,100

1,045,195

Hydraulic Development: Zhoshui and
Wu Basins

1964-1967

855,000

700,000

Hydraulic Development: Tidal Land
Reclamation

1964-1965

202,600

214,000

Development of Livestock Production
on Marginal Land1965-1970

880,200

731,400

Maritime Development Institute1965-1969

1,276,963

6,368,850

Forest and Forest Industry
Development

1965-1968

694,900

377,100

Pilot Project for the Expansion of
Typhoon and Flood Warning Services

1966-1970

616,100

718,000

Food Processing Institute1967-1971

829,200

1,082,100

Urban and Housing Development

1966-1969

603,500

678,300

Vocational Training Institute1968-1971

1,078,700

1,015,000

Sewerage Planning in the Greater
Taipei Area

1970-1971

474,300

560,100

Pig Research Institute1969-1971

804,500

1,513,000

Plant Protection Center

1970-1971

1,058,100

2,227,000

Consolidated Community Development

1970-1971

442,200

27,900

Union Industrial Research Institute1971

510,000

741,000

3

These projects are categorized into six categories and discussed in later sections of
this paper.

Hydraulic Projects
The UNSF Governing Council started to accept special fund requests in 1959,
and 31 out of 120 proposals were approved. The Hydraulic Development Projects
proposed by the ROC government was one of the approved projects. The ROC
government had then “been improving the overall irrigation equipments andhydropower output to accommodate the increasing need in farming and industrial
development.” 6
The Hydraulic Development Projects lasted from October 1960 to March 1962, anda total of six experts were sent to Taiwan to conduct sub-project assessments andprovide consultations for the ROC government. The sub-projects included: (1) The
multi-purpose project of Zhuoshui River in central Taiwan and the multi-purpose
project of Beinan River in Taitung County; (2) The groundwater drilling projects
aiming at drilling 200 wells in Yuanlin County and 300 wells in Changhua County;(3) Flood prevention and land reclamation projects that aimed to create 500 to 600
km2 of reclaimed land in Yuanlin County; (4) Advising lab projects in the hydraulicengineering lab to conduct structure experiments on modeled bridge and dam andsilt-laden water test; (5) Silt control project that, among other purposes,
sought to build a silt survey network, to manage dam silting, and to control
drainage basin. (6) Hydrographic and geographic studies. 7
During the course of the project, the experts who were sent to Taiwan surveyed
Zhuoshui River, Wu River, and Dajia River, inspected the groundwater drilling
constructions at Daguan, Jugong, Wushe, Tienlun, Dajian, Jiji, and Douliu, andadvised local hydraulic engineers.8 This project also sponsored three people tostudy abroad on fields such as cost-benefit analysis, engineering geology, andhydraulic model test.9
After this project, the Technical Assistance Board of the United Nations sent overthree additional experts to stay for another year and aided in dam design,
construction plan, and land reclamation projects. The ROC government also applied
funding for the Expanded Hydraulic Development Projects from the Special Fundduring this time, and, before the funding was approved, the ROC government
funded for more experts sent by the UN Technical Assistance Board to serve in
Taiwan.10
The Special Fund Governing Council approved the Expanded HydraulicDevelopment Projects proposed by the ROC government and renamed the projectas Hydraulic Development: Zhoshui and Wu Basins. The goal of this project was tointegrate and develop the basins of Zhoshui River and Wu River into one
multipurpose basin that could provide for water, irrigation, and electricity needs,
prevent flood, build land reclamation projects upon, and develop tourism industry.
It proposed to build four damns – named Chinyuan, Shenlong, Guoshin, Puli – thatwould reserve water from Zhoshui River and Wu River for irrigation and power
needs in the downstream area.11
Under this project, 13 experts were sent to Taiwan from January 1964 to May 1967
and nine from Taiwan sent to Europe, USA, or Japan to study. Experts sent by the
UN posed questions on some of the sub-projects and proposed substitute projects.

4

The ROC government studied the substitute projects but
did not completely follow the sub-projects proposed. 12
In August 1963, the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United
Nations sent A. de Vajda to Taiwan to assess the feasibility of the land reclamation
project proposed by the ROC government. The Special Fund Governing Council
then approved this project, and it ran from January 1964 to the end of 1965. This
project brought experts to Taiwan to study the 540 km 2 of reclaimed land along
Taiwan’s west coast. The project comprised both investigation and research tasks:
1.
2.

Investigation: The hydrology, meteorology, tidal and wave activities,
drifting sand, ocean currents, topography, soil, and construction methods ofthe reclaimed land were investigated;
Research: Researches concerning coastal erosion and accretion,
reclamation methods, soil improvement, sandstorm stability, farmlayouts, and water source development were conducted.13

A total amount of ten foreign experts were sent to Taiwan to work on this projectand six from Taiwan sent abroad to study related fields. The United Nations also
donated instruments for hydrological and meteorological observations, aerial
surveys, and soil testing to aid in the project. The ROC government also accepted
most of the suggestions raised by the foreign experts. 14

Agriculture, Forest, and Livestock Industries
In regards of the agriculture, forest, and livestock industries, the Special Fundwas granted to four projects. The first was the Development of Livestock
Production on Marginal Land approved in January 1964. Based on UN surveys, it
was feasible to utilize the 3000 km2 of mountain regions for livestock productions
that in terms would increase food production, job opportunities, and national
income and decrease the need to us foreign reserves. 15 This project commenced in
January 1965 and was divided into two phases that lasted for 5 years in total. The
first phase lasted for 12 months, during which two experts were sent to Taiwan by
the United Nations to study the potentiality of mountain region livestock industry in
Taiwan and prepare a development plan. The second phase lasted for four years. In
this phase, a research and training center and a demonstration ranch were
established in Shinhua of the Tainan County. The two facilities served to train
livestock industry professionals, veterinarians, and promotional professionals. The
project also included plans for livestock production and dairy products production,
distribution, and sales.16
In addition to development in livestock production, the UNSF also funded theForest and Forest Industry Development. This project began from a report “A
Survey of the Forest and Forest Industry Situation in Taiwan,” written by Dr. J. Harry
G. Smith who was associate professor at the University of British Columbia, Canada,
and an expert sent to Taiwan by the FAO. There were three sections to this report:(1) Suggestions on improving the forest industry in Taiwan; (2) Application of the
UNSF on surveying forest and improving forest industry in Taiwan; (3) Plans on
surveying forest and improving forest industry in Taiwan.
In the conclusion of this report, Smith pointed out: “Through the cooperation ofdifferent institutes, Taiwan can really become a place with rich forest resources.
Much wealth can be gained in the near future if modern business management
methods were adapted. Lumbering with forest creation can definitely create great5

value for forests here and even benefit future generations. What must be done now
is to make proper land classifications to both nourish forest industry and preserve
forest. The need for land classification is urgent, for otherwise the beauty of
Taiwan will be no more.” The application of the Special Fund in developing forest
industry in Taiwan was also Smith’s idea. The ROC government applied funding for“Forest Industry Development Project” in December 1963, and Smith believed thatthe fund would be granted in January 1964.17
However, John N. Corry, the Regional Representative of the United Nations
Technical Assistance Board in the Far East, thought that the proposed project
length of one year was too short and suggested to modify and resubmit the
proposal. In May 1964, forest industry and economy expert B. Husch wascommissioned by the FAO through the Special Fund to survey the forest and forest
industry in Taiwan. In June of the same year, the proposal of: “Forest and Forest
Industrial Development in Taiwan” was submitted to the UNSF. 18
The new proposal was accepted and approved and was set to commence in July
1965. The tasks involved in this project can be categorized into four categories: (1)Review and improvement of regulations and laws related to the forest industry; (2)Improvement of operation methods of forest industry and of lumbering techniques;(3) Improvement and research of forest byproducts; (4) Foreign and domestic
market expansion of forest products. 14 forest industry experts were sent to
Taiwan during the three-year span of the project, and 13 from Taiwan were sent
abroad to receive forest-related professional training. 19
The Pig Research Institute was also an idea raised by the Food and Agriculture
Organization of the United Nations commissioned experts. The drive behind thisidea was to build upon Taiwan’s already well-established pork industry andtherefore make contribution to the rest of the world. The Asia Science and ResearchCenter for Pig was the first step in this project, and the research center was
established in Taiwan Sugar Corporation’s Dapu Ranch in Chunan Town, Miaoli
County. The funding for the Pig Research Institute in Taiwan was later approved by
the United Nations, and related projects started in 1970 and lasted for five years.
The major tasks of this project included:
1.

2.
3.
4.

Solutions for raising pigs. Sub-tasks included: (1) improvement on
breed; (2) improvement on feed nutrition; (3) improvement on pig
research facilities; (4) prevention of pig-related diseases; (5) reduction
on production and management cost; (6) research on feed production
techniques; (7) research on the chemical and physical reactions of pork;(8) research on pork production factory management and pork
inspection; (9) the logistics and marketing of pork sales;
Promotion and application of research results;
Providing specialized training for both Taiwan and countries in Ear Asia;
Exchanging research results and experience with the United Nations funded
Singapore-based Pig and Poultry Research Institute.

Under this project, Taiwan was provided a total of 179 man-months expert service
and sponsored with 294 man-months of fellowship to study abroad. In addition,
because of Taiwan’s advanced pig industry, the United Nations also agreed thatthose granted with scholarship to study abroad in fields such as breeding, genetic
engineering, veterinary, and animal nutrition could obtain Master’s degree andeven Ph.D. This is different from the studying options in other UN-granted
projects.20

6

The fourth project under this category was the Plant Protection Center headed by
Sino-American Joint Commission on Rural Reconstruction. The purpose of thiscenter was to control pest and botanic diseases and therefore decrease damage to
agriculture. The center also has another mission to solve the pesticide residues
problem. This project started in 1970 and lasted for five years, and the major goal
was to boost agricultural production and sales.21

Industries
In industries, the UNSF first approved the plan for Telecommunication andElectronics Training and Research Center. The planning for this center started as
early as 1958 when the Directorate General of Telecommunications of the Ministryof Communications started the initial research on electronics andtelecommunications. The plan for the center received approval from the Ministry ofForeign Affairs, the Ministry of Communications, the Ministry of Education, and the
Executive Yuan and was submitted to the United Nations for funding. The plan was
granted with the Special Fund, and experts in telecommunications and electronics,
physics and electronics, computer science, and vacuum tubes were sent to provide
expert service in Taiwan.22
The Telecommunication and Electronics Training and Research Center was oneof the many long-term projects that the ROC government had, and its main goal
was to fund for telecommunication and electronics equipments for educational
purposes and for future research. The center was built in National Chiao Tung
University in Xinzhu, under the management of the Department of Electronics
Engineering. The center offered two-year postgraduate program and recruited 20
students each year. The focus of the first year of the program was theories, andstudents were expected to develop mathematics-based problem-solving abilities.
Lab-based courses and other electives were available in the second year of the
program and aimed to provide for the experiment needs of students’ theses, inaddition to developing student’s ability in analyzing and designing for specialized
telecommunication and electronics problems.
The center started to offer short-term advanced telecommunication and electronics
training program two years into the project, and it received from organizations,institutes, and businesses 80 students who had at least Bachelor’s degree eachyear. A computer science department was also established to provide for theeducational needs. The center also often hosted seminars that lasted for four tofive weeks that provided a platform for idea exchange among both domestic
scholars and scholars from neighboring countries.23
A four-year Auto Technician and Instructor Training Center project was later
granted by the United Nations to develop the transportation industries in Taiwan.
The United Nations appointed the International Labour Organization (ILO) as the
project executing agency, and an agreement between the ILO, the ROC Ministry ofCommunications, and the Taiwan Provincial Government, represented respectively
by the acting Director-General Francis Blanchard, the head of the Department ofRailways and Highways of the Minister of Communications Yan-guon Chu, and thehead of the Department of Communications of the Taiwan Provincial Government
Sheng-huang Chen, in Taipei on December 25, 1962. This four-year projectprovided auto technician training classes in Zhonghe, Taipei County and aimed at

7

training 100 instructors in automobile maintenance, 200 driving instructors, 80
instructors in diesel-based equipment maintenance, 360 maintenance team leaders,
60 instructors in heavy-machinery maintenance, and 140 driving trainers. 24 Six
experts in project management, teaching methods, automobile and machinery
maintenance, team management, diesel machinery, and heavy machinery were sent
to Taiwan, and a total of eight were sent abroad to study, each in the field ofteaching methods, automobile machinery, automobile electrical studies, chassis,
diesel machinery, team management, and heavy machinery, and one was trained tolead the center.25
In 1962, the Organizing Group for Industrial and Mining Projects under the
Ministry of Economic Affairs headed the proposal of the UNSF on the Metal
Industries Development Center project. The purpose of this center was to provide
training, technical services, and solutions in equipment design, heat treatment, andmetallurgy for the metal industries. This project was granted the fund in January
1963, and the plan of operation was signed in October. The United Nations sent inexperts that served as project manager and acting project manager and provided
services in supervisor training, technologies management, field training, andmachining. The center was established in Kaohsiung, and it focused on developing
industries in mechanical products, base metal research, metal refinery, research infive kinds of metals, electrical products, and transportation products. 26
The economic development in Taiwan experienced a man shortage in the mid1960s. Based on a government report, advanced and precision industries required
trained and high-level technicians, but the education system then was not able toprovide for such needs and therefore restricted further industrial development. A
human resource expert who was hired to assess the human resource status in
Taiwan in 1965 by the UN also concluded that the vocational institutes in Taiwan
could not provide for the human resource need in the coming five years. 27 Based on
this review, the ROC government submitted the plan of building National
Vocational Training Center to the Special Fund. The UN sent two experts to Taiwan
in August 1966 to discuss and modify the proposal, and, in 1967, the ROC
government resubmitted the proposal that was later approved. In April 1968, theplan of operation of National Vocational Training Plan was signed between theSpecial Fund and the ROC, and the vocational training promoting organization
Association of Vocational Training was formed based on this plan. Chairman of
Formosa Plastic Company donated land owned by the affiliated Ming Chi College ofTechnology (now Ming Chi University of Technology) for the association to build
the training center.28
In the food industry, exports of canned pineapple and canned mushroom had
been increasing since 1963. In 1966, businesses pleaded the establishment of anational research center to improve processed food quality. The Sino-American
Joint Commission on Rural Reconstruction, with support from the Economic
Cooperation Board, proposed the plan of building the Food Processing Institute to
the Special Fund and received approval in January 1967. This four-year projectfocused on the development of food processing technologies and the expansion of
the kinds of processed food, in attempt to increase the competitiveness of the
Taiwanese food industry in the global market. Under this project, 152 experts were
hired to provide expert service in Taiwan. The Institute for Food Processing
Industry Development and an affiliated processing center were also establishedunder this project.29

8

Maritime Industry
As an island, Taiwan relies heavily on the ocean for its economy. Taiwan’s
economy had been growing and exports increasing since mid-1960s. The Ministryof Communications, in attempt to lower the cost of renting foreign cargo ships andto grow the nation’s freight industry, decided to apply for the UNSF in establishing
the National Maritime Development Institute, and the proposal was approved in
January 1965. The mission of the institute was to assist the government inmaritime management and administrative tasks, to improve the efficiency of all
Taiwan-based maritime businesses, to provide additional training for crew
members and administrative workers, and to train high-standard crew members.
The project lasted for four years, during which the UN sent 12 experts to provide
expert service in Taiwan, and Taiwan sent abroad ten senior maritime industry
professionals to study abroad. The institute was taken over by the ROC government
after the four-year period.30
The National Maritime Development Institute was established in Taipei on July17, 1965. The institute received requests from major maritime companies not longafter its establishment to create the advanced (Class-A) crew member training
program. The first session focused on ship operation training and admitted 120
students. The students received six months of mock training and were dispatchedby the National Association of Chinese Shipowners to field training on domestic
and foreign operating ships. The students then took the certificate exam to obtainthe certificate to operate ships.31 In early March of 1966, the institute planned a 3year advanced crew member training program that targeted at recruiting
undergraduate students majoring in science and engineering. The instituteintended to provide one year of offshore training and two years of onboard training
in this program. The plan was later canceled, and the institute cooperated with
Keelung Maritime Institute to set up a three-year vocational program in the institutethat accepted 120 students in navigation training and 80 in turbine and mechanicaltraining. The three years of the program were divided into 2-year offshore training
and 1-year onboard training. The onboard training was conducted on three training
ships of 10-thousand gross tonnages that were provided by the China Merchants'
Steam Navigation Company. These ships were operating between the USA, Japan,
and East Asia.32
Although the National Maritime Development Institute was establish to assist
and stimulate the development of maritime industries in Taiwan and to provide
professional training, many maritime business owners could not adapt to this newidea. Many of the UN-commissioned experts were not pleased with the rather
fixated mindset of the maritime business owners who opposed much of what wasplanned. The Special Fund ceased its support for the National Maritime
Development Institute in April 1969, and the institute was transformed into a legal
entity and was funded by the maritime industry. 33

Urban and Community Development
In the 1960s, because of the concerns raised by many UN experts on urban
planning, the ROC government also began its urban planning projects. In August
1964, the ROC government invited urban planning expert Donald Monson toprovide expert service in urban planning in Taiwan. Monson compiled andsubmitted a report on Taiwan Urban Planning and Public Housing three months

9later and suggested that the government applied for the UNSF to fund the
proposed projects. The ROC government submitted the Urban Planning andHousing Project that later incorporated suggestions and modifications made byKenneth Watts, the UN technical adviser for the Asian region. This project was later
approved and lasted from August 1966 to July 1969. Monson pointed that the
rapid development of the ROC economy was a model for the rest of the East Asian
countries; however, because of the rapid economy growth and urbanization,
population also grew rapidly and centralized in the urban areas. This in terms
created problems in transportation, land planning, and community development,
and these problems could only be solved through cooperation of all related
institutes and organizations.34 The purpose of this project was to assist the ROC
government is regulating and promoting laws and executing projects related tourban and regional building construction and public housing. The project alsoplanned training programs for public servants working on public housing andregional construction and for undergraduate students. 35
To support the project, the Economic Cooperation Board also established the
Urban and Housing Development Committee (UHDC) that constantly employed six
to eight UN-commissioned experts. Monson served as the project manager in thiscommittee, together with his wife Astrid Monson – also a famous urban sociologist– and other experts in urban transportation, public housing, city administrative
database and urban planning. The ROC government appointed experts from Taiwan
to partner with these UN-commissioned experts to cooperate in projects, andstudents who were training in the urban planning field were also selected andgrouped to assist and learn from the experts. The experts delivered work progress
reports weekly and opened classes on urban planning theories and practices fromdeveloped countries for their associated students and students from otherinstitutes at night. This type of project was the first kind that the UNSF supported
under the Urban Planning and Housing project, and Watts was very satisfied withthe outcome.36
The UNSF also funded the project of Sewerage Planning in the Greater Taipei
Area. Zhangqing Wang, a member who worked on the proposal, recalled that thebriefing on the reconstruction of the London sewerage system after World War II
delivered by officials from London local authority from an UN-sponsored European
observatory trip in the UK in 1961 really motivated him. So much so that when heheaded the Public Works Department of Taipei City in 1968, he wished to build amodern sewerage system that would symbolize the modernization of Taipei. 37 As
early as 1962, however, the World Health Organization had assisted Taipei inplanning a sewerage system that included plans for both Taipei City and its satellite
cities. This system was not built because of budget concerns. 38 In October 1968,
the UNSF Governing Council approved the project of Sewerage Planning in the
Greater Taipei Area that was estimated to be completed in two years. The projectplanned to build the sewerage system that would extend to Xizhi in the East, toSanchong in the West, to Xindian in the South, and to Yangming Mountain in the
North. The primary objectives of this project were to: (1) Outlining the initial andlong-term projects for the sewerage system in Taipei; (2) Training professionals inplanning, design, construction, operation, maintenance, and management; and (3)Drafting for the governing and financial regulations and organization structure.
This project also stated that the validity of the regulations would expire in year
2000, and modifications would have to be adapted by then.39 The actual
construction of the sewerage system was contracted to the Boston-based CampDresser-Mckey Consultant Company.40

10In 1967, the ROC Ministry of the Interior applied for the UNSF for theestablishment of a Preparation of a Consolidated Community Development
Program. The purpose of this center was “to analyze current community problems
and to observe and absorb the community development experiences and solutionsof the United Nations and countries that have established such programs for these
problems; to develop systematic research methods and engage in experiments
based on the observed experiences and solutions so that solutions suitable for thedomestic community can be derived; to provide training to community
development workers and local leaders for an unified set of ideas and methods betaught; to build cooperation between all government organizations and institutes
to maximize outcome and minimize waste.” This project lasted for six years, andthe center was transferred to the National Taiwan University and renamed as
Institute of Community Development. The UNSF Governing Council approved the
project in January 1970.41

Typhoon and Flood Disaster Prevention
Accompanied by storm and pouring rain that often bring about heavy damage
and fatalities, typhoon has always been a constant natural threat to the island of
Taiwan. Typhoon Gloria that stormed Taiwan in September 1963 caused greatdamage – 300 fatalities and over $175 million USD in total damage – because of
the lack of a warning system. Mainly motivated by this great damage, the ROC
government applied for the UNSF in early 1965 to fund for two radar stations, one
built in Hualien and the other in southern Taiwan and six hydrological stations
around the island. The government also wanted to invite agriculture andmeteorology experts to conduct researches in Taiwan and to setup scholarshipprogram to fund for local experts to study abroad. 42 The ultimate goal was toimprove meteorological equipments and train experts so that damage caused bytyphoons could be minimized.
The Governing Council of the Special Fund approved the application in May
1965 and appointed World Meteorological Organization as the executing body andthe Weather Bureau of the Taiwan Provincial Government as the co-executing body.
This project lasted for four years. In addition to two radar stations that were
established in Hualien and Kaohsiung, six rain intensity detection and reporting
stations were built along the Danshui River and Zhoushui River. The data collectedby the new detection and reporting stations together with the older ones was
integrated with the radar stations to provide information for forecast of typhoon
course, precipitation rate, precipitation length and periods, and flood peak. With
this available information, the Weather Bureau of the Taiwan Provincial Government
could collaborate with other government units on disaster prevention measures.
During the course of the project, the organization structure and equipments of the
Weather Bureau were also greatly improved, and qualified researchers andtechnicians were also trained for future researches and equipment maintenance. 43

Conclusion
The ROC withdrew from the United Nations in October 1971, and all of theongoing projects came to an immediate halt. Looking back at the development of
Taiwan in 1960s, the support from the Special Fund played a major role and was of11historical significance. After the establishment of the Special Fund, the ROC
government applied for the fund almost every year, making it a major foreign
investment source after the US stopped material support in mid-1960s. The 18
approved projects belonged to different specialized fields and were of major
impact to the transformation of the economy in Taiwan in 1960s and to the rapid
development in 1970s.
Some of the 18 approved projects were of provisional nature, and some of whichceased operating after the UN withdrew from projects. Examples of the latterinclude the National Maritime Development Institute and the plan for the hydraulicdevelopment in the Zhoushui and Wu Basins. Many of the approved projects,
however, have been in operation even till this day. The Telecommunication andElectronics Training and Research Center has now transformed to the Institute ofCommunications Engineering at the National Chiao Tung University. The Metal
Industries Development Center was transferred to the ROC government in October
1968 and was transformed to Metal Industries Research and Development Center in
May 1993. The center now hosts researches in the production and management of
the metal industries and the promotions of the research results, with a mission toadvance the Taiwan metal industries to be globally competitive. The Pig ResearchInstitute was supported by the Taiwan Provincial Government and the Council ofAgriculture after the UN withdrew from the project. It was privatized in 1994 and is
still in operation today. The ROC government also continued the operation of the
Plant Protection Center after the UN withdrawal. It was transferred to the Taiwan
Provincial Government Department of Agriculture and renamed as Taiwan
Agricultural Chemicals and Toxic Substances Research Institute, and the main
responsibility was changed to the research of pesticide and toxic substances.
Although Taiwan is today not a member nation of the United Nations,the support from the United Nations Special Fund is still an important partof the history of Taiwan.

References
1 Evan Luard, The United Nations: How It Works and What It
Does (New York: St. Martin Press, 1979), p. 55.
2 See Guoji hozuo zai Zhongguo: Guojilianmeng jiaose dekaocha, 1919-1946 (International cooperation in China: astudy of the role of the League of Nations, 1919-19460(Taipei: Institute of Modern History, Academia Sinica, 1999).
3 “Jinghohui wushijiuniandi jianbao” (A brief for the Council
for International Economic Cooperation
and Development in 1970,” in K. T. Lee Archive (Institute ofModern History, Academia Sinica,
Taipei), B00587031.

5 Guoji jishu hezhou jihua gaikuang (An introduction to theinternational technical cooperative
projects) (Taipei: The Council for International Economic
Cooperation and Development, 1965), p. 11.
6 Zhongyang ribao (The Central Daily News), December 10,
1959, p. 6.
7 Lianhobao (The United Daily News), November 22, 1960.
8 Lianhobao (The United Daily News), January 20, 1960, p. 2.
9 Guoji jishu hezhou jihua gaikuang, pp. 11-12.

4 For the establishment and operations of the United Nations
Special Fund, see Ronald A. Manzer,“The United Nations Special Fund,” International
Organization 18: 4(Autumn 1964), pp. 766-789.

10 Shuming Yin, “Shinianlai woguo shuilikaifa jihua zhi
lianhoguo jishu yuanzhu” (The UN technical assistance to
Taiwan’s hydraulic development, 1961-1970)，Zhongguou
shuili gongchegi xuehui huikan (Bulletin of the Chinese

12

Hydraulic Engineering Association), no. 12(August 1971),
pp. 25-26.

27 Lianhobao (The United Daily News), August 17, 1966.

11 Lianhobao (The United Daily News), Jan. 19, 1963, p.2;
April 3, 1963, p.2.

28 Lianhobao (The United Daily News), April 3, 1968, p. 2;
April 5, 1968, p. 2.

12 Shuming Yin, “Shinianlai woguo shuilikaifa jihua zhi
lianhoguo jishu yuanzhu,” pp. 26, 28-29.

29 Lianhobao (The United Daily News), June 10, 1967, p. 8.
30 Lianhobao (The United Daily News), January 20, 1965.

13 Lianhobao (The United Daily News), January 28, 1964.
31 Lianhobao (The United Daily News), September 3, 1965.
14 Shuming Yin, “Shinianlai woguo shuilikaifa jihua zhi
lianhoguo jishu yuanzhu,” p. 28.

32 Lianhobao (The United Daily News), March 15, 1966, p. 2;
June 8, 1966.

15 Zhongyang ribao (The Central Daily News), January 18,
1965, p. 3.

33 Lianhobao (The United Daily News), October 15, 1968.

16 Lianhobao (The United Daily News), January 29, 1965.

34 Lianhobao (The United Daily News), January 10, 1967.

17 Lianhobao (The United Daily News), September 9, 1963.

35 Lianhobao (The United Daily News), April 4, 1967, p. 2.

18 Lianhobao (The United Daily News), July 2, 1964, p. 2.

36 “Wang Zhangqing xiansheng fangwenjilu” (An interview
with Mr. Wang Zhangqing), in Dushijihua qianbeirenwu
fangwenjilu (Records of interviews with pioneers in Taiwan’s
urban planning)(Taipei: Institute of Modern History, Academia
Sinica, 2000), pp. 46-47.

19 Lianhobao (The United Daily News), March 8, 1963, p. 2.
20 Lianhobao (The United Daily News), October 30, 1969,
p. 8; April 22, 1969, p. 7. “Linahoguo fazhan fang’an Taiwan
yangzhu kexue yangjiushuo zhengshi chengli” (The formal
establishment of the UN funded Pig Research Institute in
Taiwan), Taiwan Nongcun (Taiwan village), 7: 8(August1971), pp.34-35.

37 “Wang Zhangqing xiansheng fangwenjilu,” pp. 64-65.
38 Lianhobao (The United Daily News), December 11, 1967.
39 Lianhobao (The United Daily News), January 11, 1969.

21 Lianhobao (The United Daily News), June 2, 1967, p. 4.
40 “Wang Zhangqing xiansheng fangwenjilu,” p. 68.
22 Guoji jishu hezhou jihua gaikuang, pp. 11-12.
23 Lianhobao (The United Daily News), December 29, 1960.
24 Lianhobao (The United Daily News), March 7, 1963, p. 2.

41 Lianhobao (The United Daily News), September 3, 1967;
January 20, 1970.
42 Lianhobao (The United Daily News), August 26, 1964, p. 2;
April 21, 1965.

25 Guoji jishu hezhou jihua gaikuang, pp. 13-14.
43 Lianhobao (The United Daily News), September 15, 1967.
26 Guoji jishu hezhou jihua gaikuang, pp. 14-15. Lianhobao(The United Daily News), August 11, 1962, p. 5.

M.Eickhoff, 8.2023, oakhouse.de13