BRITAIN AND CHINA 'A great deal of common ground'

Press, Volume CXII, Issue 33065, 4 November 1972, Page 15

BRITAIN AND CHINA 'A great deal of common ground'

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) PEKING, November 3. The British Foreign Secretary (Sir Alec Douglas-Home) left Peking yesterday, after saying that the warmth of his welcome had been matched by the depth and freedom of his discussion with the Chinese leaders during his five-day visit.

Speaking at a press conference at the residence of the British Ambassador to China (Mr John Addis), Sir Alec Douglas-Home said that in his 21 hours of talks with the Prime Minister (Chou Enlai), he had found “a great deal of common ground which should be exploited to the advantage of both countries.”

Seen off by his Chinese counterpart, Chi Peng-fei, Sir Alec Douglas-Home flew to Hong Kong, where he is spending one day.

He said at his press conference that his talks had certainly resulted in a closer understanding between the two countries, although there were still some areas of disagreement, such as the situation on the Indian sub-con-tinent, and the question of recognition of Bangladesh.

Referring to his talks earlier yesterday with the Chinese Minister of Trade, (Pai Hsiang-kuo), the Foreign Secretary said that both countries agreed that mutual trade was far too low, and that both sides would look for ways of increasing it. Pai would visit London in a few months, and it was hoped that Chi would also go to Britain next summer. On Vietnam, both sides had envisaged an international conference, and would consider what part they could play, should they be asked. Sir Alec Douglas-Home said he had suggested that China and Britain should seek peace, and create conditions whereby Vietnam. Cambodia, and Laos could be nonaligned. „ _ On the subject of a European security conference, Sir Alec Douglas-Home said he told the Chinese leaders that Britain’s policy was to seek detente with the Soviet Union and Eastern Europe from the basis of strength. “I explained the British point of view on this, and it was understood by Chou," he said. . . Asked if the status of the British colony of Hong Kong had been raised during his talks, the Foreign Secretary replied: “We did not go into anv details on Hong Kong.” Sir Alec Douglas-Home left Peking without the supreme accolade of a meeting iwith Chairman Mao Tse-tung,

but he said: “The ice in British-Chinese relations had been broken before my visit, and now the water is warm, and we are swimming in it.”