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CALL ON THE PRIME MINISTER BY NEW ZEALAND PRIME MINISTER,
10 MARCH:
CHINA
1.
Bilateral relations with China are understandably
overshadowed by Hong Kong at present. However, we established a good momentum of high-level contacts in 1992 with Foreign. Minister Qian Qichen and Vice-Premier Zhu Rongji visiting UK (both called on the Prime Minister). The Prime Minister met
Premier Li Peng twice (in Rio and in New York). There is a new enthusiasm for China as a market and UK exports rose 20% in 1992 (to £430 million), although they are running at less than half the level of our imports from China (£954 million).
2. Human rights (including Tibet) continue to be an issue of concern which we have raised with the Chinese both bilaterally and on behalf of our EC partners at all our high level ministerial meetings with the Chinese. Lord Howe led a
successful human rights mission to China in December 1992 (the idea was originally suggested by the Prime Minister to Li Peng).
3. China New Zealand relations are generally good. Chinese Vice-Premier Zhu Rongji visited New Zealand at the beginning of 1992 and New Zealand External Relations Minister (Don McKinnon) returned the visit in April 1992. The stated objective for McKinnon's visit was to provide political underpinning to the economic and trade relationship. Following the collapse of the wool market in 19970, New Zealand's exports to China have fallen steadily despite attempts to broaden and diversify the basis of trade. China's exports to New Zealand have risen 55% since 1989.
4.
In parallel with its programme of economic reform which led to growth of 12.8% in 1992, China is conducting a programme of military modernisation which, coupled with a more assertive foreign policy, is beginning to cause some regional concern. The Chinese stress publicly that they have no aggressive intent, but
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