8.
These are among matters at present under discussion with the Chinese
Government. If pressed] It would not be helpful to go into these matters
now while discussions with
the Chinese Government are still in progress.
WILL NOT OUR TRADE WITH CHINA BE AFFECTED IF WE DO NOT REVIEJ OUR POLICY
ON CHINA AND TAIWANT
9.
I repeat that I do not think that it would be helpful
to go into these matters now.
PRESIDENT NIXON'S VISIT
10.
As was made clear at the time of the announcement,
welcome the visit.
ve
[to be
attached when answered)
WAS CHINA DISCUSSED DURING THE TALKS WITH PRESIDENT NIION AT BERMUDA?
11. I would refer the hon Member to the answer given to
to the hon Hember for West Lothian on 18 January.
CHINA AND THE UN
12. We have for many years supported the seating of the
We welcome the representatives of Peking in the UN.
decision taken by the General Assembly.
WHY DID WE VOTE FOR THE ALBANIAN RESOLUTION SUPPORTING THE SEATING OF
FEKING IN THE UN AND FOR THE EXPULSION OF TAIWAN? 13. We were not
dealing with the "expulsion" of a member State but with two candidates
who both wished to occupy the
one China seat. We believe that the exclusion of the
representatives of the 14 million inhabitants of Taiwan is a lesser evil
than the continued exclusion of the representatives
of 750 million Chinese.
PROSPECTS FOR TRADE WITH CHINA
14. We see no reason why trade should not increase.
During 1971 there were a number of important trade missions
in both directions. I am confident that these will contribute
to the growth of trade exchanges with China over a wide area
of industry.
L
CONFIDENTIAL
BACKGROUND NOTE
Kr Dalyell visited China from 12-26 November 1971
as a member of the Scottish Export Committee Nission led
by Lord Clydesmuir.
This is the third question he has
asked about China since his return.
2.
Kr Dalyell has a Question to the Prime Minister for
oral answer on 18 January enquiring to what extent common
policy towards China was discussed during the talks with
President Nixon at Bermuda. It is possible that he may
•
use that occasion to ask a supplementary about the possibility
of current British policy on China and Taiwan affecting our
exports to China. If he does not ask his supplementary
then he may try to do so this time.
by supplementary No 9.
The point is covered
3. The possibility of an invitation to Mr Chou En-lai to
visit this country might appropriately be considered when we
have made further progress in our negotiations for an exchange
of Ambassadors with Peking. We hope that the next round
in the negotiations will take place very shortly on the basis
of the proposals contained in the DOPC paper recently approved
by the Prime Minister.
4.
An invitation to the Chinese Government in February
1971 to send a Trade Delegation, headed by a Minister or Vice-
Minister, to visit this country is still outstanding.
Despite reminders the Chinese Government have not yet
responded to the proposal. It seems unlikely that they will
do so until there has been some progress over the Ambascadorial
exchange.
CONFIDENATAL
15
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CONFIDENTIAL
5.
As regards visits to China, no Western European
Prime Minister in office has visited the Chinese People's
:
Republic. Reports in the French press in early January
that President Prompidou might go to Peking this summer have
been stated by the Elysee to be without foundation.
Prime Minister has not received an invitation to visit
The
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China.
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Reference
HANSARD 18 JAN 1972.
PRESIDENT NIXON (DISCUSSIONS)
Q8. Mr. Dalyell asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on
the talks he has had with President Nixon and to what extent they
discussed common policy towards the People's Republic of China.
Q11. Mr. Blaker asked the Prime Minister whether he will make a state-
ment about his recent discussions with President Nixon.
QIS. Mr. Frank Allaon asked the Prime Minister if he will make a stale-
ment about his recent discussions with President Nixon.
The Prime Minister: President Nixon and I had extensive discussions
ranging over the whole field of world affairs when we met in Bermuda on
20th and 21st December. We concentrated' in particular
on longer-term international issues, in- cluding developments in Europe,
East West relations, the more active rôle of the People's Republic of
China and the growing importance of Japan. We also exchanged views on
monelary and trade questions in the light of the results of the
successful meeting of the Group of Ten in Washington which immediately
preceded our discussions.
DD 296439 140609 500M 777 GH 36432
455
Writt
22. APL 1971
MINISTERIAL STATEMELOS
Q11. Mr. Arilius Lewis asked the Prime Minister whether he will take
steps to ensure that in future all major statements of national
importance, such as the appointment of chairmen of national boxlies, are
made orally to the House of Commons and noi by writion
answer.
The Rome Master: No.. It for Ministers with information to give to the
House to decide how to give it, having regard to live nature of the
information' and normal practice in these matters.
CITINA (VISIT).
QI2. M. Arthur Lewis asked the Prime Minister whether he will now seek
to pay an official visit to China, or invite Mr. Chou-En-Lai, the Prime
Minister of China, to visit this country.
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Written A
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exist, namely The Western Morning Mail; and The North Devon Journal, as
opposed to North Devon Journal-Ferald, and have corrected the spelling
of The Falmouth Packet.
Mr. David Price: I have been asked to reply.
Yes. The list is for the guidance of dio interviewers only and has been
amen- ded to refer to the Western Morning News, the North Devon
Journal-Herald and the Falmouth Packet.
tion Supply if he will cause additional questions to be inserted into
the social survey into the effects of sonic boom regarding the general
physical and mental health of the interviewee.
Die Mudú asked the Minister of Avia-
Ms. Bavid Price: I have been asked to reply.
No. Answers to such questions, even if the individual were propared to
give them, would be very dificult to evaluate
The Prime Minister: I have at present accurately for the purposes of
this survey. to plans to do so.
EUROPEAN ECONOMIC
COMMUNITY
Mr. Arthur Lewis asked the Prime Minister to what extent, during the
Five Power Conference
Conference on Far Eastern 'Defence, he took the opportunity of dis-
cussing with Commonwealth leaders the effects of Great Britain's entry
into the European Economic Community under present known conditions of
entry.
The Prime Minister: The effects of Britain's entry to the European
Economic Community were not discussed at the conference. As to my
discussions with Sir Keith Holyoake during his visit to London for the
conference, I would refer the hon. Member to the answer which I gave to
his Question on 20th Apil-Vol 815, c. 382.) *
AVIATION SUPPEM
Sonic Boom (Social Survey)
I
Mr. Muld asked the Minister of Avia- tion Supply if he will cause to be
deleted from the social survey into the effects of sonic boom the listed
names of two West Country newspa which do not
+
Mr. Mudd asked the Minister of Avia- ation Supply if he will reconsider
the presumption that the United States of America is proceeding with the
building of supersonic commercial aircraft, as posed ia question 28 of
the social survoy into the effects of sonic boom.
J
Mr. David Price: I have been asked to reply.
The most recent part of the survey was comploted before the cancellation
of .the Bocing 2707. The questions will be
amended accordingly for the future.
:
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Mr. Mudd asked the Minister of Avia- tion Supply when he anticipates
recoiving the results of the survey into the cliccts of sonic boom; if
they will be published; and to what use the results will be applied.
LL
Mr. David Pikce : 1 havo been asked to reply.
The data for completion of the survey will depend on the progress of the
fight test programme. A summary of Tho results will then be published.
This sur- 'vey will still be the only one based upon actual fights of a
supersonic airliner. As such, it will be a useful addition to our
knowledge of effects of supersonic-fights, and of propio's reactions to
them.
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1207201971
Fi
Oral Answers
14 DECEMBER 1971
believe what the hon. Gentleman has in mind is that the Economic
Development Committee for Mechanical Engineering, which is only one part
of the engineering industry, made a forecast about short- term trends in
mechanical engineering. Mechanical engineering is only part of the
total, but is included in the overall engineering forecasts. It is those
that
maller.
EUROPEAN ECONOMIC
COMMUNITY
Q2. Mr. Knufman asked the Prime Minister whether he will delay his
signa- Lure of the treaty of accession to the European Economic
Community until satisfactory arrangements have been worked out for trade
between the Euro- .pean Economic Community and an inde-
pendent Rhodesia.
The Prime Minister: No, Sir. There is no connection between our
accession to the European Economic Community and an eventual Rhodesian
settlement.
Mr. Kaufman: Is it not absurd for the Government to lament the damage
done to Rhodesian exports by sanctions and "then to seek to replace
those sanotions by a common external tariff? Would it not be more
consistent for the Govern ment either to abandon their attempt to drag
an unwilling Britain into the Com- mon Market, or to call off their
shameful deal with the Rhodesia Front-or, preferably, both?
The Prime Minister: No, Sir, there is no connection between them. As for
a Rhodesian settlement, the hon. Gentle man is fully aware that the next
stage is to await the carrying out of the fifth principle, which is to
be put to all the Rhodesian people.
Mr. Evelyn King: Would it not be a good thing if, for the first time in
seven years, the Prime Minister were to con centrate on the simple
objective of advancing the economic prosperity of the Rhodesian people?
The Prime Minister: The House has debated this matter and can form its
own judgment. The extent to which the lot, of Africans and others in
Rhodesia can be improved is an important aspect, but we must now await
implementation of the fifth principle.
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Oral Answers
1.256
CHINA
Minister if he will seek to pay an official 03. Mr. Pardoe asked the
Pime
visit to the People's Republic of China.
The Prime Minister: 1 have at present no plans to do so.
Mr. Pardoe: Is the Prime Minister aware that China's recent emergence as
fully fledged world Power prepared to play her part in the concourse of
nations is not only a great turning point in history in spite of
President Nixon's visit, thers but offers a massive opportunity and
that,
are real limitations to an improvement in relations between the United
States and China? What action does the Prime Minister intend to take to
ensure that this opportunity for a real leap forward in Sino-British
relations does not go by the board?
The Prime Minister Successive British Governments have been aware of the
points that the hon. Gentleman has made, It was a Labour Government who
recog fnised Peking in 1950. I am glad to say that relations with Peking
have improved considerably in the last year and thal we are discussing
the question of our diplomatic representation with the Chinese
Government.
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Mr. Gorst: Will my right hon. Friend bear in mind, nevertheless, that
the sister of one of my constituents has been im- prisoned or detained
in China without any information being given to her family and that such
treatment of former British subjects does nothing to enhance a possible
improvement in relations be tween this country and China?
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The Prime Minister: Of course, there are these difficulties and we
should like to sort them out. The talks that we are having at the moment
may be helpful in that way.
Mr. Maclennan: What progress has. been made with what Mr. Chou en Lai
described as a major stumbling block to the alteration of our diplomatic
relations, namely, the attitude of the British Gov. ernment towards the
future of Taiwan?
The Prime Minister: This is a matter that we are discussing with Mr.
Chou en Lai's Government.
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