SG3AWE
DRAFT ARTICLE FOR THE INDEPENDENT
Next week I shall be visiting China for the first time as Foreign Secretary. I shall also be going to
Hong Kong which I last visited just over a year ago.
There are many reasons why the British Government, and the British Foreign Secretary in particular, should keep in close touch with Peking. As a Permanent Member
of the UN Security Council, China will inevitably play an important part in international affairs particularly if,
as seems at least possible, the Security Council is going to be increasingly active. During the Gulf crisis the
Chinese Government had their own views and their own
interests.
principle.
They also like us opposed Fragi-aggression on Partly because of the unprecedently close
cooperation and exchanges of view among the Permanent Members in New York, China acted in a way which made
possible the strong stand against aggression and the
eventual liberation of Kuwait. Because of the central
role of the Security Council in such matters as
sanctions, China's views on the Middle East will continue
to be important.
There are many other matters on which China's views
will be central. Those who, like us, hope to find a peaceful solution to the grinding conflict in Cambodia
know that China is a key player. The same is true of hopes for preventing the proliferation of weapons of mass
destruction.