PRIME MNOSIE
FOR MEDIA 13 January 1984
Following invitations from the Governments of Japan, the
Republic of Korea# China, Singapore and Malaysia, I will be
visiting North East and South East Asia early in February.
I have been keen to pay early visits to these countries
in Australia's neighbourhood, all in different ways of
great importance to Australia's future.
The fiUrst country on my itinerary is Japan ( 31 January
4 February) 4 Australia and Japan have developed an extremely
close economic partnorship, whiich has acquired deepenincl
political importance as our mutual interests in the Western
Pacific area have expanded ovor recent years. I will have
an audience with His Majesty the Emperor and will attend a
lunch which he will host. I expect to have discussions in
Tokyo with Prime Mlinister Nak~ sone and his Cabinet colleagues
on a range of bilateral issued as well as exchange views on
regional and international devc. opments.
I am keen to see something of. Japan's industry and consequently
X will visit Osaka. I also wish to inform Japanese business
leaders about the Australian Covernment's economic policies
which are important in building further the trade and economic
ties between our countries.
From Japan I will travel to th'e Republic of Korea ( 4 7 February).
ROK President Chun was to visit Australia in October of last
year but was prevented from doing so because of the bombing
tragedy in Ranigoon which resu]~ ted in a postponement of his
visit. Australia and the Republic of Korea have a rapidly developing
political and trade relationship and my visit will provide an
opportunity to have discussions with President Chun and his
Government on a wide range of issues of mutual interest. In
addition to bilateral matters, Australia has a close interest
in strategic developments affecting the Korean Peninsula and
this I expect will be discuss~ d in Seoul.
I will then pay my first visit as Prime Minister to China
( 7 12 February). In the years that followed the decision by
the! Whitlam Labor Government to establish diplomatic relations
between Australia and the Peoples Republic of China, successive
Australian Governments have wqrked to expand the wide-ranging
and close relations which exist between the two countries.
When Premier Zhao visited Aust: ralia in April last year, he
invited me to go to China to Continue and develop the close
dialogue which was given fresh impetus during his stay in our
country. I look forward to doing this.
In addition to Peking, I will visit Shanghai. / 2
j
4. I will visit Singapore ( 12 44 February).
During the Commonwealth Heads'of Government meeting in
New Delhi last November, I held u.-efu. discussions with
Prime Minister Lee and the Foreign Minister of Singapore.
It was agreed that it was important that Australia and
Singapore should maintain the momentum of these contacts
and I accepted the suggestion of Prime Minister Lee to call
in to Singapore on my return from North East Asia.
I have not yet had the privilege of meeting Dr Mahathir, the
Prime Minister of Malaysia, so I propose to briefly visit
Kuala Lumpur to meet with him and members of his Government
on 14 February.
Australia's relations with AStAN are of major importance.
During the course of last year, I visited both Indonesia and
Thailand; to be able to have discussions with Malaysia and
Singapore during the course ot this visit will broaden the
range of my contacts with ASEAN leaders, and further strengthen
Australia's already solid relationship with the nations of
the South-East Asian region.
The itinerary is:
-Hong Kong, 729 -31 January
Tokyo, 31 January 3 Febiuary
Osaka, 3 4 February
Seoul, 4 7 February
Peking. 7 11 February
Shanghai, 11 12 February
Singapore, 12 14 February
Kuala Lumpur. 14 15 February