With the effort of Humanities Center and Social Sciences Information Center, National Chengchi University (NCCU), the digital data base of the Chinese Association for Relief and Ensuring Services (CARES) was started using on June 5, 2015. At the launching ceremony several historical materials were exhibited, including official documents, flyers, video and photos in the duration of the cross-Strait war of propaganda.

In 1950 the ex-President Chang Kai-shek had a slogan “To save the compatriots in mainland China on the basis of humanitarianism.” With the collaboration of government and civil the CARES was established and then it engaged in the humanitarian relief overseas. It helped the refugees from mainland China and other countries settle down in Taiwan. In the period of cross-Strait war of propaganda it also made use of several methods like airdrop to involve the recognition of those who lived in mainland China.

Zheng-zhong Zhang, the director-general of the CARES, said that in the past there’re frequent floods and droughts; hence, the food delivery was the most vital mission of the CARES. Beside the rice and something for propaganda, every time it also delivered the daily necessities by the airdrop plane, inclusive of clothing, medicine and toys. Since 1964 the balloons had been used to deliver the flyers.

As for Wei-kai Liu, professor of department of history, NCCU, the CARES was a part of his growing process. In the past you could often see the news related with the relief. Furthermore, he added that the content of the flyers delivered to mainland China included not just propaganda of policies but also comparison of the difference of life style between Taiwan and mainland China.

Mr. Zhang said that nowadays the relations between Taiwan and mainland China are no more confronted. In addition, after the martial law was lifted in 1987, the groups regarding humanitarian relief actively developed; therefore, currently the CARES is thinking about the re-open possibility. In the recent years it concentrates on the demand of oversea expatriates for studying and engages in assisting the spouses from mainland China to get accustomed to living in Taiwan.

What’s more, he anticipated that the participants of the exhibition would see the historical development about social welfare and humanitarian relief of the past 60 years in Taiwan.