China Youth Corps
Encyclopedia
The China Youth Corps often known simply as CYC (救國團), is a youth organization in the Republic of China
(Taiwan
).
The CYC was established in 1952, on the recommendation of the then president Chiang Kai-Shek
; its first chairperson was his son Chiang Ching-Kuo
. The original purpose of the CYC was to provide basic military training to youths before they were conscripted
into the Nationalist armed forces. At that time the CYC was very much a quasi-governmental, quasi-political organization with close ties to the Kuomintang
regime, similar in many ways to the Communist Youth League
of the People's Republic of China
.
Over the decades the CYC has lost much of its militaristic character, shifting its focus into providing recreational services to Taiwanese and Overseas Chinese
alike (such as through the annual Overseas Chinese Youth Language Training and Study Tour to the Republic of China), although military camp
s remain one of the many activities it offers. Indeed the CYC continued to provide military education textbooks to high school students until as recently as the 1990s.
On August 28, 1989 the CYC became a non-governmental organization
, thereby officially severing its ties with the Kuomintang regime; nonetheless many Taiwanese today still regard the CYC's senior management as being supportive towards the Pan-Blue Coalition
. On October 25, 2000, the CYC officially dropped "Anti-Communist" from its official name.
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
(Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
).
The CYC was established in 1952, on the recommendation of the then president Chiang Kai-Shek
Chiang Kai-shek
Chiang Kai-shek was a political and military leader of 20th century China. He is known as Jiǎng Jièshí or Jiǎng Zhōngzhèng in Mandarin....
; its first chairperson was his son Chiang Ching-Kuo
Chiang Ching-kuo
Chiang Ching-kuo , Kuomintang politician and leader, was the son of President Chiang Kai-shek and held numerous posts in the government of the Republic of China...
. The original purpose of the CYC was to provide basic military training to youths before they were conscripted
Conscription
Conscription is the compulsory enlistment of people in some sort of national service, most often military service. Conscription dates back to antiquity and continues in some countries to the present day under various names...
into the Nationalist armed forces. At that time the CYC was very much a quasi-governmental, quasi-political organization with close ties to the Kuomintang
Kuomintang
The Kuomintang of China , sometimes romanized as Guomindang via the Pinyin transcription system or GMD for short, and translated as the Chinese Nationalist Party is a founding and ruling political party of the Republic of China . Its guiding ideology is the Three Principles of the People, espoused...
regime, similar in many ways to the Communist Youth League
Communist Youth League
The Communist Youth League of China also known as the China Youth League is a youth movement of the People's Republic of China for youth between the ages of fourteen and twenty-eight, run by Communist Party of China. The league is organized on the party pattern. Its leader is its First Secretary...
of the People's Republic of China
People's Republic of China
China , officially the People's Republic of China , is the most populous country in the world, with over 1.3 billion citizens. Located in East Asia, the country covers approximately 9.6 million square kilometres...
.
Over the decades the CYC has lost much of its militaristic character, shifting its focus into providing recreational services to Taiwanese and Overseas Chinese
Overseas Chinese
Overseas Chinese are people of Chinese birth or descent who live outside the Greater China Area . People of partial Chinese ancestry living outside the Greater China Area may also consider themselves Overseas Chinese....
alike (such as through the annual Overseas Chinese Youth Language Training and Study Tour to the Republic of China), although military camp
Military camp
A military camp or bivouac is a semi-permanent facility for the lodging of an army. Camps are erected when a military force travels away from a major installation or fort during training or operations, and often have the form of large campsites. In the Roman era the military camp had highly...
s remain one of the many activities it offers. Indeed the CYC continued to provide military education textbooks to high school students until as recently as the 1990s.
On August 28, 1989 the CYC became a non-governmental organization
Non-governmental organization
A non-governmental organization is a legally constituted organization created by natural or legal persons that operates independently from any government. The term originated from the United Nations , and is normally used to refer to organizations that do not form part of the government and are...
, thereby officially severing its ties with the Kuomintang regime; nonetheless many Taiwanese today still regard the CYC's senior management as being supportive towards the Pan-Blue Coalition
Pan-Blue Coalition
The Pan-Blue Coalition 泛藍聯盟 or Pan-Blue Force is a political alliance in the Republic of China , consisting of the Kuomintang , the People First Party , and the New Party . The name comes from the party colours of the Kuomintang...
. On October 25, 2000, the CYC officially dropped "Anti-Communist" from its official name.