SPEECH BY PRIME MINISTER AT LUNCH IN HONOUR OF
PREMIER ZHAO ZIYANG, PARLIAMENT HOUSE, CANBERRA
18 APRIL 1983
MR PREMIER
FOREIGN MINISTER WU
DISTINGUISHED CHINESE AND AUSTRALIAN GUESTS
Your visit, Mr Premier, the first to our country by a
Chinese Head of Government, marks an important step
forward in relations between Australia and China.
The first step was taken by my distinguished
predecessor, Gough Whitlam, who as Leader of the
Opposition made a pioneering visit to Peking in July
1971. In December 1972, the Whitlam Labor Government
established relations with the People's Republic of
China and in October 1973, Mr Whitlam made the first
visit to China by an Australian Prime Minister.
I am happy to say that the relationship forged in that
period was carried on by the Fraser Government with the
result that today, a decade later, friendship with China
has become a significant element in the foreign policies
of all Australia's major political parties and enjoys
widespread support in the Australian community.
In the ten years since we established relations there
has been a remarkable growth not only in our links with
China but also in China's contacts with the
international community. The policies of containment
and isolationism of the 1950' s and 1960' s are no more
than a bad memory. China now participates actively in
international organisations including the United Nations
Security Council and I might mention that I am looking
forward to addressing the International Labour
Conference in Geneva later this year, where a Chinese
delegation will participate for the first time; China's
scientists are respected participants in international
conferences; its students study abroad ( there are 250
in Australia); its cultural richness is being seen
abroad through exhibitions, and China has developed
economic policies which have facilitated trade and
commercial activity.
China' s lea~ ders have also opened the political door.
They have sought an active dialogue with other nations,
as, Mr Premier, your presence here today, and earlier
visits by Vice-Premiers Li and Chen, attest. The past
ten years have witnessed the establishment of relations
between China and Japan and the normalisation of
relations with the United States. Relations with ASEAN
have improved significantly. Most recently China has
also entered discussions with the Soviet Union to try to
improve the difficult relationship they have had with
each other. As a reflection of China's interest in the
Third World, you have recently visited eleven countries
in Africa.
Australia welcomes this active approach to international
affairs. I have mentioned it in order to underline the
importance of nations being in dialogue. it is
essential that nations seek to understand each other,
even if it is only to understand where the differences
lie. With a better understanding of those differences
there lies the hope of reconciliation, compromise and
accommodation. It is Australia's deep belief that the major problems
confronting the world, the threat of nuclear war, the
differences between rich and poor, and the economic
recession, are all issues on which nations must work
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together to find solutions. Without having any
exaggerated view of our own dimension on the
international scene, my Government is willing to
participate constructively and energetically in seeking
the resolution of these problems and to pursue the path
of reconciliation abroad as at home.
Premier Zhao, we have talked this morning about the
state of the world. We both want to see peace and
stability as a basis for development of our region. The
Asia-Pacific reqion is an area of dynamic economic
growth, whose vitality is critical to global economic
recovery. North Asia is certainly~ vital to Australia's
economy, as the destination of almost 40% of our
exports. Between us lies Southeast Asia. There we can
observe the positive fact of the prosperity and success
of the ASEAN countries. But we can also observe the
tragic differences which have prevented Vietnam from
taking a legitimate place in regional affairs and
cooperating with its neighbours.
There are other outstanding strategic and political
problems in the region in Korea, between Japan and the
Soviet Union, and in the tension still existing between
China and the Soviet Union. For the long term it is
essential that full regional harmony be established and
Australia would welcome the development of a close
political dialogue with China that could help to achieve
this goal. There are no ready solutions to these
1
problems. But the region today is tar more stable and
prosperous than it was a decade ago, and one can
approach its future with optimism. Much of the credit
for this enhanced stability and prosperity must belong
to your country and the policies you have followed in
recent years. The broadening of China's relationships
throughout the region since the early 1970' s has
contributed greatly to the present improved scene.
Tomorrow we will hold further discussions, about our
respective approaches to national development and
aspects of bilateral relations. I am pleased that you
will then be travelling to see something of our cities,
our agriculture and our mineral development. T would
like you to leave Australia with an appreciation of our
skills and our dynamic prospects.
I look forward to hearing from you about China's
achievements in readjusting and modernising its economy.
We appreciate the great differences in scale and
complexity between your development and our own. But
there is a basis for economic partnership through which
we stand ready to contribute to your modernisation
programs. The trading relationship is valuable to us
both. We will remain a reliable supplier for you of
agricultural products and mineral resources.
I hope that we will be able to find practical
opportunities for investment in each other's countries.
Beyond economic cooperation, we have many other
important exchanges. Our largest government sponsored
sporting exchanges are with China. Our cultural
exchange with you is one of our largest. Two major
Chinese exhibitions have' been here this year. We
exchange teachers and students, a number of your
scientists have been working at Australian Antarctic
bases, and we have technical co-operation projects.
These exemplify the fact that while some larger
industrial countries may have large scale technologies
available for transfer, Australia, with its size and
skills, has much of direct relevance and on a scale
often more directly applicable. This evening, you will
be meeting a number of Australian businessmen. You will
learn from them the importance which the Australian
private sector attaches to the development with China of
a variety of exchanges of mutual benefit and profit in
the spheres of management and technology.
Mr Premier, the progress in relations in recent years
has seen new agreements in science and technology,
agricultural exchanges, technical co-operation and
cultural exchange. The pace has been quick and
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satisfying. We are committed to consolidating these
successes,, to ensuring the effectiveness and value of
these various agreements.
We are approaching the broadening of relations from the
basis that our national futures are linked, and that our
qovernments and peoples must work for increased
political, economic, commercial and cultural exchange.
My welcome to you and your colleagues today is thus
extended in a spirit of warm friendship.