2 Feb 91
FE/0986 A3/8
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China's CITIC chairman in New Zealand Rong Yiren, chairman of the China International Trust and Investment Corporation (CITIC), arrived in Wellington on 30th January for a six-day official visit to New Zealand. Rong, who is also Vice-Chairman of the NPC Standing Committee and chairman of the All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce, is the first senior official to visit New Zealand since Premier Li Peng's visit two years ago. (Xinhua News Agency, Peking, in English 0758 gmt 30 Jan 91)
In a meeting with Rong Yiren on 31st January, the New Zealand Prime Minister, Jim Bolger, said he welcomed Chinese investment in the country in forestry and other economic sectors. Rong promised to seek more opportunities to invest in New Zealand. (Xinhua News Agency, Peking, in English 0315 gmt 31 Jan 91)
Earlier on 31st January, Rong met the Deputy Prime Minister, Don McKinnon, who is also Minister of External Relations and Trade and Minister of Foreign Affairs. McKinnon addressed Rong as a "capitalist from the speeding communist giant", to which Rong said: "I used to be a capitalist. But now I am both a 'capitalist' and a civil servant.” Rong said China welcomed any form of investment in many economic sectors. Interests of foreign investors in China would be protected, he said. Referring to China's investment overseas, Rong stated, China had focused on investing in such sectors as iron-ore, timber, non-ferrous metals and petrol and chemical industries to make up what China lacked. A banquet was held for Rong and his party by the Prime Minister, at which Rong met Don Brash, governor of New Zealand's Reserve Bank. He also met the Minister of Agriculture, John Falloon, on the same day. (Xinhua News Agency, Peking, in English 0625 gmt 31 Jan 91)
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Chinese student worker in Japan seeks refugee status A Chinese student worker on 31st January called for support for his quest for refugee status in Japan because of possible punishment if he returns to his homeland. Zhao Nan, 40, told reporters if he is repatriated to China, he may face severe punishment because of his involvement in China's pro- democracy movement in Japan. Zhao said he came to Japan in September 1988 to study Japanese society and economy, and worked while attending a Japanese language school in Osaka. He said he became a leading activist last December as head of the Japan Branch of the Federation of Democracy in China, a Paris-based Chinese dissident group. Immigration authorities refused to grant an extension of his student visa last September and gave him three months to leave Japan, Zhao said. He applied for recognition as a refugee last month and underwent a screening by immigration officials on 30th January, he said. (Kyodo News Agency, Tokyo, in English 0652 gmt 31 Jan 91)
Minister, Gen Chatchai Chunhawan, received the visiting DPRK Premier, Yon Hyong-muk, in Bangkok on 30th January. According to a Thai spokesman, the DPRK will purchase 500,000 tons of Thai rice this year, and will buy a total of 1m tons within the next two or three years. Next year, the DPRK will buy about 500,000 tons of tapioca for use as animal feed, and Thailand has been asked to advise on feed mixing methods. The DPRK agreed to sell more steel to Thai buyers, and will also sell an additional 300,000-400,000 tons of cement to Thailand. The DPRK informed Thailand that it is studying joint investment in wolfram and antimony mining in Thailand. The two prime ministers also discussed the construction of a DPRK embassy in Thailand. (Radio Thailand, Bangkok home service 1200 gmt 30 Jan 91)
Chatchai on 30th January hosted a banquet in honour of Yon Hyong-Muk. In his speech, the Thai Prime Minister expressed his confidence that the agreement signed on opening a DPRK embassy in Thailand would lead to improved relations and cooperation. He said that the situation in South- East Asia and the Korean peninsula gave hope that peace was within sight, adding that peace and stability in these regions would contribute to efforts to promote economic cooperation within South-East Asia as a whole. (Radio Thailand, Bangkok home service 0000 gmt 31 Jan 91)
The President of the Thai National Assembly, Wan Chansu, met Yon Hyong-muk and his party on 31st January. Wan congratulated the North Korean visitors on "the possibility of reunification of the two Koreas". (Radio Thailand, Bangkok home service 0530 gmt 31 Jan 91)
OTHER REPORT
North Korean agreement signed
Premier
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in Thailand; embassy (FE/0984 A3/5 [8]) The Thai Prime