Following is an appeal for humanitarian help for the victims of the recent Taiwan earthquake, circulated by the Washington State China Relations Council and sent to this journal by its Executive Director, Joseph J. Borich. We join Mr. Borich and the WSCRC in urging that you contribute generously to the relief effort.

As you have seen and read, Taiwan was struck by a massive earthquake (7.7 on the Richter Scale) late in September. The blow devastated central Taiwan, especially the communities of Taichung, Nantou, and Fengyuan, and caused extensive damage and casualties in Taipei and elsewhere. The death toll exceeded 2,000 with thousands more missing. Our hopes and prayers go out to the people in Taiwan and to the many members of our community with family and friends there.

Two organizations in our area have established relief efforts to help victims of the Taiwan quake:

• Taiwan's representative office in Seattle, the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office, has established a relief fund with the assistance of the Washington First International Bank in Seattle. Contributions should be sent to:
  
       Taiwan Earthquake Relief Fund
       Washington First International Bank
       Seattle, Washington
       Account Number 0220003743
  
  Please call (206) 525-8118 for more information.
  
  
• The U.S. office of the international Christian aid organization, World Vision, has issued an appeal to provide emergency shelter, medical supplies and other emergency relief supplies. For more information or to make a contribution, contact (toll free) 1-888-56CHILD, or send your gift earmarked:
  
       WV Taiwan Earthquake
       P.O. Box 70261
       Tacoma, WA 98481-0261
  
  Please give generously to one or both relief efforts.

For more information, visit the Washington State China Relations Council website at www.ambassadors.com. Mr. Borich's very illuminating analyses of recent developments in U.S.-China relations can be found in this issue's special "focus on China" – click here.

The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill has announced an important forthcoming conference on China, to be held on the campus Thursday, November 4, 1999, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Organized by the University’s Center for International Studies and Kenan-Flagler School of Business, the conference’s theme is “The Politics of Doing Business in China: Chasing the Dragon’s Tail and Winning.”
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FRUS Volume on Energy Diplomacy and Global Affairs Released

On August 25 the Department of State released Foreign Relations of the United States, 1964-1968, volume XXXIV, Energy Diplomacy and Global Affairs. In the mid-1960s newly-emerging issues, such as space flight, the technology gap, world population growth, human rights, and the hijacking of civilian airliners, in addition to the 1967 oil embargo and the rise of OPEC, brought fresh challenges to the Presidential administration of Lyndon B. Johnson. The responses of U.S. foreign policy principals to these often complicated problems are presented in this Foreign Relations volume.
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