Chinese mission on way satisfied

Press, Volume CXIV, Issue 33694, 18 November 1974, Page 16

Chinese mission on way satisfied

Friendship, hospitality, and warmth were the themes of the New Zealand visit of the agricultural and pastoral mission from the People’s Republic of China, according to Professor Chen, the mission’s leader.

“We will never forget our stay,” he said at a farewell function on Saturday evening. Such meetings prompted understanding and friendship, and developed trading relations.

In an interview Professor Chen said that his mission was not concerned with making concrete trading arrangements. That was for the Ministry of Foreign Trade and the various departments concened. Of course, China already imported some wool from New Zealand and had in the past taken some New Zealand stud stock.

Mr J. C. Paterson, a spokesman for the stock and station firms in Christwhich have been closely associated with the arrangementa for the mission’s Canterbury visit, speaking at the farewell, said that the mission had been shown something of the country’s agriculture, particularly its pastures, of which New Zealand was very proud, and it was hoped that in the future some trade between the two countries would develope. Professor Chen said he felt that the mission had been most successful, and that its members had learned a lot. He said that they had enjoyed seeing New Zealand sheep and cattle, and especially what was being done in animal breeding.

“There are plenty of good sheep and cattle,” he said, "aid also good pastures and wool.”

They had been delighted with what they had seen of New Zealand pastures. New Zealand had done a great deal in pasture establishment and improvement and in this area they should have learnt something from what they had seen.

Also they had appreciated seeing machinery and equipment used in livestock farming and looking at vegetable production.

Professor Chen expressed appreciation of the efforts of the city administration, the Ministry of Trade and Industry, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, the stock and station companies, and farmers and others. INVITATION

The district officer of the Trade and Industry Department, (Mr G. C. Maclachlan) said it was hoped that the Chinese would take away with them pleasant recollections of their stay in New Zealand, and that next time they came they could stay a

’little longer and see some aspects of the country’s culture that they had not seen on this occasion. Mr J. L. Bouckoms, managing director of Kreglinger (N.Z.), Ltd, who, with Mr Paterson, was a member of a New Zealand mission which Visited China last year, presented an illustrated book about New Zealand to each member of the mission. At the dinner of the Corriedale Sheep Society last week the president, Mr A. M. Saunders, invited Professor Chen to attend the world Corriedale conference, which will be held in November next year at Lincoln College. Professor Chen accepted the invitation.