‘Border incidents changed China’

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32660, 16 July 1971, Page 10

‘Border incidents changed China’

China was for the first time keen to achieve closer relations with other countries, and the turning point which brought this about was the shooting between Chinese and Russian troops on the Ussuri River two years ago, a leading German journalist who has spent many years in the East, Dr Hans W. Vahlefeld, said in Christchurch last evening. Dr Vahlefeld. who is international correspondent for “Die Welt”, is on a 10-day visit to New Zealand at the

invitation of the New Zealand Government to look at the implications for this country of British entry to the E.E.C. When the incidents on the Russian-Chirese border occurred, the Chinese had suddenly realised that there could be a war between China and Russia, Dr Vahlefeld said. There had been a lot of speculation that the Russians were building up a force to crush China, and he himself thought that this had, in fact, been happening, Dr Vahlefeld said. But it was since the border incidents that China had started to open up the “wall” which had surrounded the country. Japan was already the major economic power in the Pacific area, Dr Vahlefeld said, and for other countries the important thing was that Japan must never be given the feeling that she was excluded or pushed apart from countries, with European origins.

In the past, Japan had experienced “a iot of trouble” with European countries, and with this background the Japanese could very easily get the feeling of being excluded, with serious results

The big challenge to Japan would come from China, and if the two counmes could find a peaceful settlement of any differences it would be important for them and the area.

Having to work in with another major power in Asia would be a new thing for Japan: until 1945, Japan had shaped the history of Asia for 100 years, Dr Vahlefeld said. Since he arrived in Auckland on July 10, having already viisted Chile, Peru, Samoa and Fiji, Dr Vahlefeld has visited farms and factories in the North Island and has held discussions with Ministers and oificials in Wellington New Zealand was heavily dependent on Britain, and it was right that she should get special arrangements from the Common Market, Dr Vahlefeld said. In the long run it was the duty of the E.E.C. to ensure that with the

progress the Community made and hoped to make, other countries outside the Community also derived some benefit, he said. The huge majority of people in Germany would welcome the entrance of Britain into the E.E.C. and in the past, as was generally known, Germany had tried hard to convince Paris that Britain should be in the Community. If Britain decided not to go into the E.E.C. it would be "disastrous,” he said. As far as economics were concerned, the main benefit of Britain’s joining the Market would probably be to Britain rather than to the Community but from a political standpoint Britain’s failure to join the Community would put it back 25 years. Dr Vahlefeld will visit Mount Cook today, and see other South Island areas before returning to Auckland on July 19. He will then fly to Australia, and visit Indonesia and Thailand before returning to Europe. Bom in 1928, Dr Vahlefeld has travelled through all the countries of Asia —including Siberia and China—and he has published two books on Japan, the Far East, and China.

After obtaining his decorate of philosophy in 1953, having studied philosophy and law at the Freiburg, Hamburg and Munich universities, he became editor

of the West German television service’s daily newsreel.

In 1960 he was appointed Far East correspondent for the German radio and television service, with his headquarters in Tokyo. In 1965 he was appointed to a similar position in Hong Kong, and three years later became special correspondent of the German television service in Hamburg. He joined “Die Welt” in 1969.