Aspac Seeks Chinese Membership

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32016, 17 June 1969, Page 26

Aspac Seeks Chinese Membership

(New Zealand Press Association) WELLINGTON, June 16. The ultimate objective of the Asian and Pacific Council (Aspac) was to get Communist China to join this economic and cultural grouping, the Minister of Customs (Mr Shelton) said today.

Speaking to reporters at Wellington Airport tonight after his arrival back from the fourth Aspac meeting in Japan last week, he said the question of Chinese admission was discussed “quite a bit” during the conference. “Aspac is a group of Asian and Pacific nations and it is impossible to get an effective regional grouping without all countries of the region being involved.” Mr Shelton was reported from Japan to have favoured the admission of China to Aspac once it had shown it would dispense with its “aggressive tendencies” and had expressed an interest in the economic development of the region. He said the Australian attitude was “100 per cent” similar to his own that in time China must be admitted to the council. Mr Shelton emphasised that the benefit of Aspac to New Zealand and Asian countries was its non-military nature and this must be maintained. Peace Organisation “I am all for keeping this a non-military organisation. It is one organisation we have

got for negotiating peace in the region without either the wish or ability to threaten military power. He said there was not even an anti-Communist attitude among member nations, which included both South Korea and Taiwan. “Although Aspac involves countries with differences, such as Malaysia and the Philippines, they are prepared

to sit down and negotiate,” In a special statement released on his arrival, Mr Shelton said his most vivid impresssion was the determination of the Asian leaders to take the initiative in the search for peace, stability and economic development.. “This is a healthy sign. We must do everything we can to encourage it.” Aspac, he said, had a special significance for New Zealand as it accurately reflected the growing range of New Zealand’s interests in Asia and the partnership between countries of Asia and the Pacific.

At the press conference, Mr Shelton said the main achievement of the conference was its forward-looking attitude to create better living standards for the people of Asia, which in turn would create more markets, more trade and more wealth in the area.