Fax . from: 31 March 1.997 TRANSCRIPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER
THE 11ON. JOHN HOWARD MP
DOORSTOP INTERY[ EW, CADBURY FACTORY, BEIJING
O
Jourlsts:-Prime Minister you're visiting a British owned factory here in China, what's the
relevance of that to Australian invesnent here today?
PFJRME MUGMIL-l~
Well the investment here oriinated out of a decision made by the Australian arm of
that oprution and it's a factory built according to Austrlian specifications, it's
managed by an Australian, there ame obviously benefits for Australians in that I don't
think we should ever adopt such a sub-divided, small minded view of the world that
says unless something is entirely A nstlaian owned without any iwvolveenent of any
otber counuy that you don't even look at it Cadhury's is a company thai ha
operated in Ausu-lia for long time and it's employed hundreds of thousands of
Austalians over the years and wodd-wide prospeity of t* at company is obviously of
benefit to those Ausbaliaru
IRNIST;
Do profits from hem go back staight to Australia?
PRP" hMERUgER:
Well r's no different frm any oth prt of the company's opiftion
JRNIST: So what tfhree b enfts to Am&" aia ( ifat diblq)? 31/ 83/ 97 28:: I I
Faxfrom PRE MINIR
Well I think if you have a company which is stng world-wide T think the
demonstration to the people herv of Austmlian rnanagurial expoita, the quality of
that tbctory matches Aushiian specificafions and that is vay considerable. And the
fact that Australian managerial oxprtse Is part and parcel of the opertion and a very
imnportant purt of the operation, of course that is beneficial. But the fre of Australian
investment and Aiustalizo economic activity ixi China has many feature and I don't
think it diminishes the ov= Wal impact of that Of course expected along the wa~ y
of the inveswient will come through companies whose parentage is not Australia.
JPlNLST: Prime Mnistr, wbat initatives will you be unveiling in your speech this afternoon?
PREME MISTERL
Well, I'll be cinpbasising that I see the; relationship be-tween our two countries as a
pazlncsbp in growth. The growth potealW of China is there to be seen and we must
take every oppomtuity to Involve ourselves as partners realistically sweing the
complemcntaxy character of our economnics. We have very complcmentazy
ecnics. We awe reliable supplims of raw materials, we have world class
Maknagerial xetse, we have top quality technology, particularly in the nding and
other sectors. One of the things China needs is a govenimental and service sector
infrastructure arid the capaity of our service indastries in law Wn accuntancy, and
indecd in the public service. China needs advice and help and counsel in providinag a
public service infrastructure throughout such a vut coury and the capacity of
Australia to provide that is immense.
JRMLST: So w may bc able to sec Australian dqprrenU sellin servces oversea ro Ching?
PRIME MINISTR.
Well, 1 hava a YbrOW minde Vw about ft I think You haveto be flexible, you
have to recognise ( inaudible) chnges and I would imagn that in a rnumaber of areas
the expertise of the Austalian Public Servc, which is very widely respeced around
the world will be available and it is one of the thMg I iMted to raise with t Chines
governMICnL
JRNLSTz-
PRIME AUNUrER. Fafo m31/ 03/ 97 20: 20 Pg: 2
Fax. from Well, one area that's already been under discussion is the subject of, here between
Senator Newman and a member of the Chinese government there is the possibility of
that area needing to be explored. So we shouldn't just see that partnership as being
overly in the private sector, The point I made yesterday and I will make again today
is the congruence of the government and the business facets of administrative
projections in China is very ( inaudble) that is how things are seen here and it is a
question of us adapting to the circumstances of the markets. It would be foolish to
allow any opportmity to get in the way of getting a share in the activity and a share of
the market.
JRNLST: Mr Howard, human rights groups are ( inaudible) for it's approach to the human rights
issue? PRIME MINISTER:
Well I will be taking the approach that best serves Australia's national interests. My
response to that is to promote and look after and defend the position of Australia, the
values of Australia, the prosperity of Australia, the interests of Australia. I am happy
for what I do in China to be measured by one criterion and one criterion alone. Was it
good for Australia? I am not inteested in any other measurement because that is my
responsibility. I am the Prime Minister of Australia. I go overseas representing the
interests of Australia in the broadest definition of that expression and I am quite
content for others to judge what I do according to whether it is Australi's interea or
not That is the only thing that concerns me.
JRNLST: To that end, Prime Minister, do you expect to have any success on the matter of
James Peng on this visit? Do you expect he may be released?
PRIME MINISTER:
I am not going to flag every detail of what may be discussed berween myself and the
Chinese Premier or the Chinese President I think you, all of us have to be realistic
about what can be achieved all of us have to be realistic about what approach is most
likely to bring results. It's easy to proclaim loudly on a soapbox from afar It is so
sensible to recognise what can be achieved by the steady building up of a close
relationship It is often the close relationship which over time started quietly which
yields the stronger result than a ilationship begun in sound and fury but over rime not
producing such a esult and therefore let us masure these tings by results and the
result are what counts but results accoding to the national interest of Australia
That's what matrs, the national interests of Auralia.
( inaudible) 31/ 83/ 97 20: 28 Pg: 3
Fax. f Pon PRIM; E MNIITER&
I think T have a rusponsibility first and foremost as the Prime Minister of Australia
and as rime Minister of Australia everything I do here will be calculated to advance
the interests of Australia. It is in the interests of Austrlia to have a close relationship
with China It's also in the interest of Austalia never to be reluctant to defend the
vales and piinciples both at home and abroad so what I s= k to do is achieve a
balance, a synthesis and a mix, if you like, between those two things because all of
them go to the Austalian national interest Thank you. 31/ 03/ 97 29: 20 Pg: 4