PM Transcripts

PRIME iMIIITSER PIXS SiTATE'lIIT 1N0. 49
31 January 1973
AUSTRALIAH ECOGIIITIOI OF CHIITA
At the Australian Institute of Political Science summer
school in Canberra last weekend, two former iinisters for Foreign
Affairs, iMr. Bowen and IMr. Bury, referred to allegations made in
recent newspaper articles that Australia had accepted 23 conditions
imposed by the People's Zepublic of China as the price of securing
recognition by Australia. These articles suggested that Australia
had to " toe the Peking Line" and agree to conditions for
recognition more stringent than those accepted by states such
as Chad and the iialdives.
In view of the currency given to these suggestions by
ministers in the previous G overnment, I think it is important
that I set the record straight. The reports mentioned by Mr.
Bowen and Mr. Bury are totally fanciful. The facts are as I
announced on 22 December, that a satisfactory agreement on the
establishment of diplomatic relations was reached with China.
I also published the joint communique and the exchange of letters
between myself and Premier Chou En-lai.
It is nonsense to suggest that we have been discriminated
against by the Chinese and forced to accept a variety of preconditions.
The negotiations in Paris covered only questions
relating to the recognition of China and the status of Taiwan.
There was no secret agreement or understanding on other matters.
The wrording of the published joint communique in which
we acknowledge the position of the Chinese Government that Taiwan
is a province of China is very similar in its wording to the
Canadian and British formulas. The Maldives formula, which has
been described as softer than ours was, in fact, harder, as the
Maldives " recognised" Taiwan as an " inalienable part of the
territory of the People's Republic".
CLIA IY: JL. A. C. T.