On the evening of May 16, 1979, in Mashan, located in the northeast corner of the main island of Kinmen, Fujian, a company commander was giving an order to his subordinates: A drill will be held here that night, and a curfew will be implemented.
Kinmen
Since the Kuomintang troops withdrew to Taiwan at the end of the Liberation War, Kinmen, which is very close to Xiamen , has become the forefront of the cross-strait confrontation. For thirty years, a large number of national troops have been stationed here, and they are ready every day. Therefore, no one was surprised by the company commander's sudden drill order.
Soon, the company's messenger notified the coastal sentry of the news. At the same time, the officers and soldiers stationed in Mashan were told that they were not allowed to leave the barracks after the roll call ended that night. Not only that, if you find someone swimming in the sea, you are strictly prohibited from shooting at him or her, so that the other person can swim to the other side smoothly and complete the drill; even if you hear gunshots, you are not allowed to act rashly to find out.
In this way, the officers and soldiers of Mashan obeyed the instructions and waited for the exercise to begin. However, not long after, they learned a shocking news: , the company commander who informed them of the exercise, disappeared mysteriously!
Therefore, under the orders of superiors, all the garrison troops on Kinmen Island began a carpet search on both land and water overnight. However, no matter how hard they searched, they could not see the figure of the company commander...
Taiwan's young talents were highly regarded by Chiang Ching-kuo
The time went back to three months ago that night. On February 16, 1979, a young man was appointed by Taiwan as the company commander of the Mashan Company of the 284th Division of the Kinmen Defense Command. He was Lin Zhengyi, who was 27 years old at the time.
On October 15, 1952, this future company commander was born in Yilan County, Taiwan. However, his first name was Lin Zhengyi .
Although the name is very righteous, Xiaolin's family is very poor, and his mother earns money by washing clothes. The difficult living conditions did not defeat Lin Zhengyi. After taking the college entrance examination in 1971, he was admitted to the Mechanical Group of the Department of Agricultural Engineering, College of Agriculture, National Taiwan University.
Being admitted to one of the best universities in Taiwan is like a carp leaping into the dragon's gate for Lin Zhengyi, who comes from an ordinary family. After entering National Taiwan University, he began to pay more and more attention to current affairs and became enthusiastic about student movements.
National Taiwan University
After the first semester of their freshman year, the freshmen went to Chenggong Ridge, Taichung for cold training. When the training entered the fourth or fifth week, on this day, 19-year-old Lin Zhengyi suddenly reported to the squad leader and platoon leader of the army, saying that he had made up his mind and decided to join the army instead of returning to National Taiwan University to study.
After hearing what this student said, people from the army felt happy on the one hand, but also a little surprised on the other: at that time, most of the students at National Taiwan University wanted to study in the United States; and those like Lin Zhengyi who volunteered to join the army, It is extremely rare.
Therefore, the national army decided to take this opportunity to promote the recruitment of fresh blood. Therefore, the military used the media to set Lin Zhengyi as a role model. The then Chief of Staff Lai Mingtang said: "After listening to Lin Zhengyi's voice, I was deeply moved and told the people present that this is ironclad proof that China must be strong, because there are many passionate young people like this in our country."
In this way, Lin Zhengyi’s request was approved by the military. He proposed to Lai Mingtang that he could transfer to the Military Academy of China (inherited from the former Huangpu Military Academy), and he got his wish.
Not long after, on March 4, 1972, Lai Mingtang presented the "Outstanding Youth Medal" to Lin Zhengyi on behalf of Chiang Ching-kuo.
In 1975, 23-year-old Lin Zhengyi graduated from the 44th batch of the Army Officer School with excellent results in second place. After that, he stayed in school as a platoon leader of a student company. After discovering that the army commander had the same name as himself, Lin Zhengyi changed his name to Lin Zhengyi.
At the same time, Lin Zhengyi and Chen Yunying, who graduated from the Chinese Department of National Chengchi University, got married. A year later, the couple had their own child.
At this time, Chiang Ching-kuo had already served as President of the Executive Yuan. Since Lin Zhengyi is a native of Taiwan and has studied at National Taiwan University, it is in line with Chiang Ching-kuo's strategy of reusing Taiwanese people, so Lin has always been concerned by him. Chiang Ching-kuo specifically asked his confidant Wang Sheng, then director of the General Political Warfare Department, to take special care of Lin Zhengyi.
Therefore, Lin Zhengyi did not have to go to the field army to lead troops immediately after graduation. In the summer of 1976, he was admitted to the Graduate School of Business Administration at the National Chengchi University, a government-funded national defense university, through his military status.
Two years later, in 1978, Lin Zhengyi obtained a master's degree in business administration from National Chengchi University and graduated successfully. On February 16, 1979, Lin Zhengyi, who returned to the army, was appointed as the company commander of the Mashan Company of the 284th Division of the Kinmen Defense Command, starting a new stage in his life.
defected to the mainland and entered Peking University
Mashan is located in the northeast corner of the main island of Kinmen. It is the closest stronghold in Kinmen to the mainland. At low tide, the straight-line distance to the other shore is only 2,300 meters .
Due to its special location, the Mashan Company stationed here has the best equipment and the best welfare in the division. Not only that, Mashan also often welcomes foreign guests from all over the world to visit. As long as they use telescopes, they can clearly see the scene on the other side. Not only that, Mashan also has a broadcast station that broadcasts messages to the mainland.
Therefore, only the best grassroots officers can serve as company commanders of Mashan Company. htmlThe fact that 127-year-old Lin Zhengyi has this opportunity shows that Chiang Ching-kuo and the military support and value him.
Chiang Ching-kuo
After arriving here, Lin Zhengyi bought a semiconductor radio while busy with his own work. Whenever it was quiet at night, this young man would quietly listen to the mainland radio station, trying to understand the mysterious land on the other side.
At that time, the Third Plenary Session of the 11th Central Committee of the Communist Party of China had just concluded, and Deng Xiaoping began to take power. Not only that, on January 1, 1979, the People's Republic of China and the United States of America established formal diplomatic relations. Accordingly, the United States and Taiwan severed diplomatic relations.
On the same day that China and the United States established diplomatic relations, the Standing Committee of the National People's Congress issued a "Message to Taiwan Compatriots." Defense Minister Xu Xiangqian announced that the 20-year-old "single attack, double non-attack" bombardment of Kinmen would be stopped.
It was under such a profound background of the times that Lin Zhengyi came to Mashan. Whenever he secretly listened to the mainland radio station, he would always look at the lights on the other side, with a lot of thoughts in his heart...
In this way, through the radio waves , Lin Zhengyi had a certain understanding of the mainland, and gradually developed a yearning for it. After all, compared with Taiwan and Kinmen, the mainland is so vast.
However, the reality is that due to various reasons, the people on both sides of the Taiwan Strait have been separated and have been isolated from each other for 30 years. During that period, Lin Zhengyi felt helpless and sad many times.
Until one day, Lin Zhengyi heard someone say that about ten years ago, a platoon leader of a company on Kinmen Island swam all the way from Houyu Slope at the foot of Tianmo Mountain to the other side.
At that time, the platoon leader borrowed flippers from the army personnel in advance and said that he wanted to go to the sea to learn to swim. That night, he went to a small shop to drink a bowl of mung bean soup, and then set off quietly. The morning after
, a broadcast was made on the other side, announcing that the platoon leader had "returned from the uprising." Until then, it was like waking up from a dream.
After hearing this story, Lin Zhengyi was deeply inspired. Soon, a bold idea appeared in the mind of the company commander...
After careful consideration, Lin Zhengyi drew up a detailed plan on his own. On May 16, about a week after returning to Kinmen from visiting his family on the main island of Taiwan, he decided to defect to the mainland on this day and start a new life.
In the evening of that day, Lin Zhengyi, the company commander, pretended to pass the drill order and issued a curfew order to his subordinates, prohibiting the officers and soldiers from leaving the barracks after roll call that night.
Next, he prepared a kettle, a medical kit, a compass and his military status certificate and other information. Lin Zhengyi will take these with him to embark on this journey full of risks.
Wait until ten o'clock that night. According to the previous check of the tide table, the sea water has begun to ebb at this time. Lin Zhengyi secretly came to the beach. At this time, Mashan was silent, with only the quiet night and the little sparks on the other side in the distance..
Mashan
Lin Zhengyi took a deep breath, took off his shoes with the word "Company Commander" printed on them, put on a life jacket, and jumped into the sea resolutely.
After nearly 3 hours of free swimming, he finally reached the other shore. Believing that there must be landmines buried on the beach, Lin Zhengyi did not dare to move without authorization, but used a flashlight to signal. Soon, the People's Liberation Army garrison sent a soldier to arrest the uninvited guest.
On the other side, the troops on Kinmen Island noticed something strange. After searching within Mashan Company to no avail, the situation was reported to the division headquarters. For a time, the entire island's garrison was dispatched, and a carpet search was launched overnight on both land and water, desperately trying to find Lin Zhengyi's whereabouts.
Soon, on a path leading to the seaside, they found a pair of sneakers with the word "Company Commander" written on them. At this time, the military made a judgment: Lin Zhengyi may have defected.
Considering that Lin Zhengyi might have the secrets of the army, the company immediately decided to revise the original combat plan. Two days later, the east and west garrison forces on Kinmen Island launched a large-scale exercise to exchange defense zones.
Lin Zhengyi, who successfully reached the other side, changed his name to Lin Yifu and started a new life. After traveling to many places, he came to Beijing and was ready to find a school to study in. When
started, Lin Yifu wanted to go to Renmin University of China . However, because his Taiwanese identity was too sensitive, the National People's Congress rejected him on the grounds of "unknown origin."
Just when Lin Yifu was at a loss, Peking University extended an olive branch to him and accepted him as a master's student in the Department of Economics. While studying at Peking University, Lin Yifu stood out among many students with his fluent English and good foundation in Western economics.
Study in the United States and reunite with family
In 1980, Nobel Prize winner in economics and University of Chicago Honorary ProfessorTheodore Schultz visited China. As the highest university in China, Peking University welcomed this distinguished guest.
Schultz
Master is visiting, who will be his translator? After some selection, Lin Yifu got this precious opportunity.
During the two people's interactions, Schultz not only admired Lin Yifu's translation, but was also deeply impressed by his talent in economics. On this day, the industry giant asked Lin Yifu: "Do you want to study for a Ph.D. in the United States?" Hearing Schultz's question, Lin Yifu replied almost without thinking: "I think so."
Soon, Schultz Ended the visit to China. After Lin Yifu said goodbye to him, he felt that the other person's previous words might have been just casual remarks.
However, shortly after Schultz returned to the United States, he officially recommended Lin Yifu to the University of Chicago where he taught. After Lin Yifu graduated from Peking University in 1982, he traveled across the ocean to the world modern economics Based at the University of Chicago, he studied under Schultz and became the first batch of international students to study in the United States after the reform and opening up in mainland China.
On the recommendation of Schultz, Lin Yifu applied for a full scholarship at the University of Chicago. Under the guidance of his mentor, he studied hard and his professional knowledge level improved by leaps and bounds.
At the same time, Lin Yifu's wife Chen Yunying, who was still in Taiwan, suddenly received news that her husband was studying for a doctorate in the United States. For a time, all kinds of emotions flooded into her heart...
Since marrying Lin Yifu, Chen Yunying and her husband have been very harmonious. She teaches Chinese in a middle school, and although her life is dull, it can be considered happy.
However, on the night of May 16, 1979, as Lin Yifu left without saying goodbye, Chen Yunying's life suddenly hit rock bottom. At that time, their eldest son was already 3 years old and she was pregnant. At such a critical moment, the military told her: Lin Yifu was missing.
After several unsuccessful searches, the family members determined that Lin Yifu was no longer alive, so they set up a memorial tablet for him. However, as a wife, Chen Yunying always believed that her husband was still alive.
Justin Yifu Lin
During that time, Chen Yunying often shed tears and insisted that "you want to see people alive, and you want to see corpses when dead." However, she never got the exact news from Lin Yifu.
It was not until a few years later that Chen Yunying unexpectedly learned that Lin Yifu was studying in the United States. She was overjoyed and immediately decided to go there to reunite with her husband, whom she had not seen for a long time.
In this way, in 1983, Chen Yunying brought their son and daughter to the United States, and finally met Lin Yifu, who had been thinking about it day and night.
Due to limited conditions, Lin Yifu and Chen Yunying were not in the same city in the following years. Chen Yunying was studying for a master's degree in special education at Paul University in Edinburgh while raising her children. Later, she received a PhD from the University of Washington.
In 1987, Lin Yifu, who received a doctorate in economics from the University of Chicago, returned to China, becoming the first overseas doctorate in economics to return to China after the reform and opening up.. In the same year, after passing the doctoral thesis defense, his wife Chen Yunying also came to Beijing.
Successful and Famous, No Way to Return Home
After returning to mainland China, Lin Yifu first worked at the Development Research Institute of the Development Research Center of the State Council as deputy director. A few years later, he was transferred to deputy director of the Rural Department of the Development Research Center of the State Council.
In 1990, a paper by Justin Yifu Lin on the Great Famine in China was published in the top international economics magazine "Journal of Political Economy", triggering a strong response. Two years later, he published "China's Rural Reform and Agricultural Growth" in " American Economic Review ", which was frequently cited by various international economics publications. These two articles established Lin Yifu's status in the world of economics in one fell swoop. Some European and American research institutions began to regard him as an authority on China's agricultural economy and invited him to visit abroad many times.
In 1994, Lin Yifu returned to Peking University, and together with many other business people who had returned from overseas, they jointly established Peking University China Economic Research Center and served as the director. Later, the center became the base camp for Chinese economics research.
Lin Yifu himself has exerted a great influence on China's economic decision-making, especially in the fields of rural economy and state-owned enterprise reform, and became the economic decision-making think tank of Zhu Rongji and Wen Jiabao, the two prime ministers.
Justin Lin
On February 4, 2008, World Bank President Zoellick announced the appointment of Justin Yifu Lin as chief economist of the World Bank and senior vice president in charge of development economics. Since then, Lin Yifu has become the first person from a developing country to hold this position in the history of the World Bank.
However, while he is shining brightly in the professional field, Lin Yifu's hometown of Taiwan has become a hurdle that cannot be returned..
After Lin Yifu defected to the mainland, Taiwan initially reported him as missing, but later confirmed his death. It was not until Lin Yifu went to study in the United States that Taiwanese students at the same school noticed his identity.
In 1994, Taiwan finally confirmed that Lin Zhengyi had changed his name and was working in mainland China. Therefore, they defined Lin's previous behavior as defection.
In 1996, Lin Yifu's mother passed away. After learning the bad news, Lin Yifu burst into tears and burst into tears. Due to Taiwan's obstruction, he was unable to return to Taiwan to mourn.
On May 9, 2002, Lin Yifu's father passed away in his hometown in Yilan. At that time, Lin Yifu was attending an academic seminar in San Francisco, USA. Facing reporters' cameras, the well-known economist burst into tears.
Soon, Lin Yifu applied to Taiwan to return to Taiwan to worship his father, which aroused great concern on both sides of the Taiwan Strait. For a time, the past that had been sealed for more than 20 years became a hot topic in various media.
What followed was a strong denunciation of Lin Yifu's behavior of "surrendering to the Communist Party" by several senior officials in Taiwan. The original funeral trip was instantly cast into a shadow.
Regarding this, Lin Yifu said: "I don't want to cause too much controversy again when my father passes away... After all, Taiwan is the place where my soul and dreams are tied."
htmlOn May 30, Taiwan approved Lin Yifu's application to return to Taiwan for funeral "based on humanitarian considerations". However, due to various complicated reasons, Lin Yifu finally gave up this idea, and his wife Chen Yunying went to the funeral on his behalf.
Justin Lin and Chen Yunying
In 2013, Taiwan's defense department stated in response to issues related to Lin Yifu that Lin Yifu was a "criminal who defected before the enemy" and violated the loyalty of military personnel. 's position on the issue of his return has not changed so far, and there is absolutely no room for ambiguity in its handling.
Regarding his behavior back then, Lin Yifu once explained that he went to in mainland China for the early reunification of China; and what he later endured was the price he paid for the early reunification of the two sides of the Taiwan Strait.
