COMMENT FROM THE CAPITAL PEKING POST: MANY PROBLEMS IN ESTABLISHING AN EMBASSY

Press, Volume CXIII, Issue 33254, 18 June 1973, Page 12

COMMENT FROM THE CAPITAL PEKING POST: MANY PROBLEMS IN ESTABLISHING AN EMBASSY

(By

CEDRIC MENTIPLAY

WELLINGTON, June 1 had much experience o posts in foreign countri collection of endemic pr and re-establishment of New Zealand communiti

L7.—Though our Ministry of Foreign Affairs has iver the past few years in setting up diplomatic ies, its present double task has produced a unique oblems. In some ways the opening of the Peking the Moscow Embassies resembles the planting of ies on distant planets.

Force of circumstances has given the priority to Peking. The charge d’affaires (Mr John Carter) is on the point of leaving for Peking with a small staff. He will occupy temporary accommodation, and in a very short time the New Zealand post in Peking will be activated. Diplomatic compound The intention is to establish in two stages. Mr Carter will open the Embassy in its temporary location, while the nermanent Embassy is being built in what amounts to a diplomatic compound in another part of Peking. This is the first “difference" our diplomatic staff will have to get used to. In a wav it will resemble the legations; formed about Peking in the late nineteenth century. The ; Ambassadorial offices, the Ambassador’s personal residence, and the flat-type accommodation used by the staff will be within a compound, with those of other nations. Movement outside this compound is likely to have some element of difficulty. The Ambassador (Mr W. B. Harland) will go to Peking early in September, probably in time to help with the big New Zealand trade and goodwill mission planned for then. The mission will give New Zealand a chance to break through some of the existing barriers—which, it is emphasised, are not wilfully put in our way, but which arise naturally from mainland Chinese ways and customs.

Mr Carter will become! Head of Chancery (or second in command) when Mr Harland arrives. He has had considerable experience on the staff of the New Zealand High Commissioner in New Delhi; and as a bachelor will not have the initial living and education problems which will inevitably be met by married staff members in Peking. Feminine staff The feminine element of the staff might even give satisfaction to the devotees of women’s lib. The second secretary will be Miss Diana Jefferson. An important role in the organisation, that of linguist, has fallen to Miss Sylvia Fraser, at present on the Hong Kong staff. Her ability to speak Mandarin (the principal Chinese tongue) will provide a valuable link with the Peking Chinese, especially in the early stages. She will also do administrative work.

Miss Barbara Weake, who will act as secretary-typist, also speaks some Chinese. She will also do much of rhe secretarial work. The establishment is almost certain to include a Trade Commissioner before very long. In the meantime an immense amount of work associated with the setting-up of the Embassy is being done by Mr Colin Murray and his trade staff at Hong Kong. Local mainland - Chinese “know-how” applied from there is solving many minor difficulties as they arise. The temporary quarters already allocated consist of part of a building intended for diplomatic apartments. Some of this will consist of living accommodation, and staff quarters will be found for the time being either in flats or hotels.

Naturally, it is intended that furniture and furnishings, both in the temporary and permanent Embassies, shall be New Zealand made. Arranging this is part of the

task of the Hong Kong office — but it must be remembered that Hong Kong and Peking are some 1500 miles apart, and that communications are not the best. Compound worries The location of the permanent Embassy in a compound with other diplomatic missions is concerning senior Foreign Affairs officers in Wellington. They are worried about the difficulty in communicating with the Chinese people, and are well aware of the diplomatic pitfalls in a social life consisting exclusively of interchanges of visits with other diplomats. The general feeling may be expressed thus: "Let us get in quickly, do the best we lean — and hope we shall be 'better accepted as time goes by. The Chinese People’s Republic wants to meet us — otherwise there would have been no agreement to exchange representatives. There must be a period of getting used to each other.” Language barrier

The biggest barrier at present is that of language. Mr Harland is taking a “crash course” in Mandarin — but this is really a misnomer. One may acquire a working knowledge of most European languages in from two to three weeks (depending on the intensity of the course). To speak and understand Mandarin in two years would be regarded as very good going.

i Already classes are being set up, and junior staff members are learning the language. It will obviously be some time before sufficient New Zealanders are capable of taking over positions as linguists and interpreters. Until then there will have to be considerable reliance on locally-provided Chinese staff. Among the difficulties which the average diplomatic family will face in Peking is the almost complete lack of educational facilities, Western style. Apparently all that is available is what has been set up by resident diplomatic staff. It is likely to prove inadequate for the expected influx of diplomats — but as these will include United States and other citizens, the “invasion” may well bring its own relief.

These points are only a few of those which will make

[the Peking post a difficult one for New Zealanders. They will be working on matters of trade, cultural and sporting relationships. Ministerial visits, and contacts in an atmosphere which at times will appear to them to be close to a vacuum

This is why the term of a staff member in Peking is likely to be set at two years, 'compared with three or four |in some posts. As experience builds this may be varied, of course. The laborious acquisition of Mandarin Chinese for a mere two-year term may not appeal to our I younger diplomats. Many restrictions

Here, apart from the obvious hardships caused by segregation and the language difficulty, are some of the points affecting Peking’s desirability as a posting: [ 1. It is not possible to travel freely within China. A ! complicated system of permit and notification covers all travel outside Peking.

2. Private cars are not advisable for this and other reasons. Petrol is scarce. Maintenance would be the responsibility of the owner. Bicycles could be the accepted form of conveyance, particularly within the compound. 3. There is difficulty in shopping, in any contact, with the people—and there are few places of entertainment.

4. There are no Westerntype restaurants — though Chinese food is said to be the best in the world But for our diplomatic staff it is just another job, another challenge. Appointment to Peking would be considered an honour, not the reverse. The hardship is there—but so is the ultimate goal, which is the knowledge and understanding of the Chinese people . . . After all, New Zealand has done this sort of thing before. In 1943, in the middle of a world conflict, we set up a legation in Moscow. It was largely staffed from the New Zealand Division then fighting in Italy. Its nominated charge d’affaires (the late Mr D. P. Costello, then G.S.O. 3 (I) of the Division) learned Russian in three weeks. The relevant fact is that today Moscow is considered a more "difficult” post than Peking.