4.
discussions we are having with you about a Science
and Technology Agreement, and the greatly increased
pace of educational, cultural, and other contacts a 2
demonstrate the importance of contact between us,
'not only between Government Ministers but also between
members of our two Parliaments.
These are the
natural result of the surge of interest in your great
country and in the wish to participate in the
achievement of the tasks which you have set yourselves.
I am delighted that the past few weeks have seen the
'conclusion of- contracts worth over £150 million,' 'some
in the traditional area of mining machinery and some in
the new areas such as petrochemical plant.
+
It goes
blow It is very clear to me Mr Minister that, although
our respective historical traditions and our political
systems are very different, there is much common
ground between us and important areas where we can
co-operate to the benefit of both sides.
without saying that Chinese 'and British perceptions
derive from a different philosophical view of the
world but we are both committed to the maintenance
of world peace and to overcoming the divisions which
can create distress, poverty and international tension.
There have been failures of communication in the past.
Geographical distance and varying perceptions "of world
problems and even of the right way to resolve our own
internal problems may not always make it easy to
achieve the understanding we on our side most certainly
/desire