China’s Atom Test Deplored

Press, Volume CIII, Issue 30575, 19 October 1964, Page 3

China’s Atom Test Deplored

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, October 18. China’s nuclear test must be unreservedlycondemned as violating world opinion and greatly increasing the risks of disseminating nuclear weapons, the Prime Minister (Mr Holyoake) said today.

> “The test was not uni expected in view of the > Peking regime’s opposition to > the nuclear test ban treaty ~ and its aggressive actions and policies up to the present,” said Mr Holyoake. But, ho said, possession of a nuclear weapon by China would neither affect the world balance of power nor, more specifically, the military situ- ; ation in South-east Asia. i “There is a vast difference | between a first test and achieving even a limited nuclear capability,” he said. ' The Chinese could not hope i to match the West in this 1 respect in the foreseeable , future. 1 Mr Holyoake said the nu- ! clear test, which was reported i to have taken place in the ■ atmosphere in the western region of China, was prob-

ably of a primitive kind and would be likely to give rise to fall-out and raise world radiation levels. “Any further tests would, no doubt, compound this problem,” he said. There would be a danger first and foremost to the health of the Chinese people themselves. The Leader of the Opposition (Mr Nordmeyer) said all lovers of peace would deplore the test. “This is not only a threat to the health of her own people, but is likely to precipitate a further series of tests, the direct and indirect consequences of which no-one can forsee,” he said. “It is regrettable that nations like China with so much need for peace and internal progress are devoting their resources and energy to the preparation of weapons of destruction.”