CONFIDENTIAL
VISIT BY GENERAL SECRETARY HU YAOBANG: TALKS WITH THE PRIME
MINISTER, 9 JUNE 1986
BACKGROUND BRIEF IV) INTERNATIONAL ISSUES
1. China's foreign policy reflects her domestic pre-occupation with modernisation. To develop rapidly, she needs a stable regional and international environment; and also productive economic and technological exchanges with the West and, to a lesser extent, with the Soviet Union and more advanced Eastern European countries. China's other major concern is with the security of its own borders. The Chinese believe that Soviet expansionism constitutes a serious threat to global stability and to China's own security. Soviet actions in Afghanistan and support of the Vietnamese occupation of Cambodia have increased Chinese concern.
2. A main theme of Chinese foreign policy is the avoidance of strategic alliances. The Chinese have stated frequently that they will not follow or become dependent on either superpower, whose rivalry China considers the main threat to world peace.
(For
China's bilateral relations see Annex I).
On
3. China is giving increasing attention to major international issues. On East-West relations, the Chinese welcomed the Geneva Summit, but claimed that both sides had exaggerated the results. arms control, they consider that the superpowers must take the lead in nuclear disarmament: once they have substantially reduced their nuclear arsenals, China will participate in a global disarmamment conference. On SDI, the Chinese oppose "the extension of the arms. race to outer space", and criticize both sides for pursuing space weapons research. In March 1986 Premier Zhao announced China's decision to discontinue atmospheric nuclear tests.
4.
China has responded rapidly to recent international events. They were clearly concerned by the Chernobyl disaster and have underlined repeatedly that paramount attention is given to safety in the Chinese nuclear programme (which has, for economic reasons, recently been scaled down). The Chinese are likely to attend a forthcoming major conference on nuclear safety convened by Chancellor Kohl. Vice Premier Li Peng told our Ambassador in Peking on 28 May that China's civil nuclear programme (including the
CONFIDENTIAL
/Guangdong