STATEMENT TO THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES BY THE PRIME MINISTER,
MR. E. G. WHITLAM, WEDNESDAY 7.11.73
VISIT TO JAPAN AND CHINA
I seek leave to make a brief statement on the visit by
certain of my Ministerial colleaguesand me to Japan and China.
The Ministerial delegation to Japan, for the second
Australia-Japan Ministerial Committee, was the largest and
most senior ever to represent Australia abroad. My visit to
Peking was the first by any Australian Prime Minister. Both
visits were marked by great warmth on both sides; both visits
were characterised by frankness and firmness from both sides;
both visits notably advanced the interests of Australia and
our friendship and understanding with these two great neighbours,
Japan and China.
On the visit to Japan from 26 October to 31 October
I was accompanied by the Minister for Overseas Trade, the Treasurer,
the Minister for Primary Industry and the Minister for Minerals and
Energy. On the visit to China from 31 October to 4 November
I was accompanied by the Treasurer and the Minister for Northern
Development. In both countries my colleagues and I were supported
by senior officials.
I firmly believe that the visit will prove to be of
considerable importance and value to the whole of Australia.
With Japan, we have both broadened and more clearly defined
the Australian-Japanese relationship and formed a firm basis for
its continuing and future development in the years ahead.
In China I consider that my visit symbolised the successful
ending of a generation of lost contact between Australia and the
most populous nation on earth.
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Japan is our major trading partner in the world and China
is the only one of the world's five major powers with whiCh,
until last December, we have not had any meaningful or regular
official contact.
In Japan, the talks with Prime Minister Tanaka and Foreign
Minister Ohira, and the wide-ranging and very frank and
substantial discussions at the Ministerial Committee Meeting,
have broadened the Australian-Japaneseunderstanding which is vital
to both countries.
I believe that any misunderstanding that existed in Japan
about the nature of the Government's policies on minerals and
energy and on overseas investment have now been cleared away.
Likewise, any uncertainties the Japanese may have felt about the
reliability of Australia as a long-term supplier of the raw materials
which are essential to Japan has also been dispelled.
In Japan, too, I believe that valuable understandings have
been reached about the long-term access for Australian primary
products to the important and growing Japanese market.
The exceptionally close and important relations between
Japan and Australia are to be expressed in a broad bilateral
treaty. Mr. Tanaka readily accepted my suggestion, and himself
announced that the Treaty be called the Treaty of Nara bearing
the title of Japan's ancient capital, which I also visited.
It will be identified as the Nippon-Australia Relations Agreement
NARA. Australian and Japanese officials will very soon begin
detailed discussion on the Agreement.
I believe the Treaty of Nara will be seen as one of the
historic treaties which Australia will have entered intO.
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Honourable members will note that we have also agreed to
enter into two further agreements with Japan a Cultural
Agreement and an agreement on the protection of migratory and
other birds as well as to conduct wide-ranging official discussions
on a number of issues including access for agricultural products,
tariffs, and minerals and energy matters, including uranium.
We have also agreed to renew the Agreement on Commerce with Japan,
which was last revised in 1963. There was a useful exchange of
views on developments in Papua New Guinea in which that country's
Minister for Defence and Foreign Relations, Mr. Maori Kiki,
participated. I believe my visit to China was most valuable in restoring
balance to our foreign policy and in diversifying our foreign
relations. I had no less than 11 hours of formal talks with Premier
Chou En-lai and over an hour with Chairman Mao Tsetung. As
Honourable members will appreciate, in the extensive time accorded
to me by Premier Chou the discussions extended over a very wide
range of international issues of interest to both countries.
I believe that we now have a much greater understanding
of Chinese attitudes on these issues. I believe, too, that on the
Chinese side, there is now a much clearer and first-hand understanding
our policies. While there were areas of agreement, there were
also issues on which our policies differed and, in such cases, I
did not hesitate to put our position fully and frankly to my Chinese
hosts. For example, I reaffirmed at the highest level the Australian
Government's determined opposition to nuclear testing in the
atmosphere. our differences on these and other matters were
discussed on a basis of mutual respect.
I believe that the warmth ot the reception I and my party
received in Peking demonstrates that China like Japatn recognises,
to a greater extent than some Australians may believe, the growing
importance of Australia as a middle power, especially in the Asian
and Pacific region.
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As Honourable Members will know, important and valuable
arrangements were made for the sale to China of up to 300,000
tons of sugar per year for a three to five year period commencing
in 1975. Arrangements were also made for the active promotion of
closer consultations between Australian and Chinese officials
and for a program of visits in both directions. The Australian
and Chinese Foreign Ministers are to exchange visits at times
to be determined in 1974. It was also agreed that we should develop
a planned program of cultural, scientific, and technological
exchanges between Australia and China, and that representative
missions in these fields would be exchanged in 1974.
Honourable Members will be pleased to know that an
understanding in principle was reached between the two sides
on travel from China to Australia by relatives of Australian
citizens of Chinese descent and Chinese citizens residing in
Australia. This should facilitate family reunions.
I believe that my visit will give new direction and
increased momentum to our existing relationship with Japan and
will lead to the development of a more meaningful relationship
and a continuing dialoguewith China which, for so long, for
much too long has been a closed book to this country.
I would like to pay tribute in the Parliament to the tireless
efforts of the Australian Embassies in Tokyo and Peking during our
visit. The ambassadors and their staffs performed, under
considerable pressure, in a manner of which Australia should be
proud. I would also like to record here my appreciation of the
objective and constructive advice tendered to my ministers and me
by the senior officials who accompanied us from Australia.
I table the Communique issued in Tokyo after my visit to
Japan as Prime Minister, the Joint Communique adopted by thO
Australia-Japan Ministerial Committee, my statement to that
Committee setting out the Government's policy on foreign investment
in Australia, and the Joint Press Communique issued in Peking on
4 November.