Copland Advocates Recognising China

Press, Volume C, Issue 29673, 17 November 1961, Page 15

Copland Advocates Recognising China

(X Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) MONTREAL, November 16. Australia and Canada could launch a new era in international affairs by recognising Communist China, the Australian High Commissioner to Canada (Sir Douglas Copland) said last night.

“What right have we to ignore 650 m people,” the former Australian Ambassador to China said in an interview with the Canadian Press. He said that the Nationalist Chinese “are in an entirely wrong position. They don’t really exist in fact.” Sir Douglas Copland is in Montreal to deliver the Sir Edward Beatty memorial lectures at McGill University. By withholding recognition Canada and Australia were “ignoring the biggest fact in the world in terms of population and expansion,” he said. “We should just forget about the people of Formosa." Sir Douglas Copland also criticised the adverse reaction in Canada and Australia to Britain's plans to join the European Common Market. “Such an attitude could be expected from old countries but not from the young.” he said. “A stronger England couldn’t help but be of benefit to both countries. "England can’t live on the fringe of a rapidly-develop-ing economic community. She must join if she is to prosper.” In Ottawa last night, the Canadian Opposition Leader, Mr Lester Pearson, said that Canadian participation in an Atlantic common market with Britain and Western European nations would create more jobs and improve the chances of peace. In a television interview, he said that Canada should set an Atlantic common market and ultimately a build-up of the Great Atlantic free-world area as its major goal, “and not just sit back and complain that it can’t be done.” He criticised the Conserva-

tive Government for having rejected a British offer soon after it took office to work towards a British-Canadian trading union. He said Canada was only standing on the sidelines, throwing roadblocks in the way of European economic co-operation. “We complain and whine, we preach, bluff, bully and bluster." he said. “This is creating very bad feeling between our two countries.”