P.M. praises Chinese food

Press, 20 September 1980, Page 26

P.M. praises Chinese food

NZPA Correspondent Guangzhou

• "Chinese food won praise from the Prime Minister (Mr Muldoon) on the eve . of his departure for Hong Kong at the end of his seven-day s,tate visit. - 'Discussing at an interview the development of SinoNew Zealand trade, Mr Mulddon said that young executives sent by New Zealand companies to work with Chinese officials on projects would have no problems. enjoy themselves,” he said. Vln contrast with .where we were a week ago (New Delhi) you can eat the food, you have no problems ... It is absolutely important. “There’s an infinite variety in Chinese food. But its all edible, pleasant and fjesn’t do things to you ... . bsolutely superb. This has made a trmendous difference jffilong the officials travelling with me.” While Mr Muldoon attended the Asia-Pacific regional •Commonwealth meeting in India, officials in his travelling party one by one succumbed in. varying- degrees to .stomach upsets. His prin-

cipal private secretary, Mr H. B. Hewett, was delayed 24 hours in New Delhi to recover from a severe bout of gastro-enteritis. During the seven- days in China, Mr Muldoon and his party attended banquet after banquet in Peking, Guilin, Fujian province, and in Guangzhou. Up to 14 different courses were served, usually in accord with the differing cuisines of the areas being visited. Menus featured sea cucumbers (slugs), frogs’ legs, fish maw, and wide varieties of fruit, vegetables, poultry, and meat. But the stomach illnesses prevalent in. New Delhi quickly improved. Last evening at a private farewell banquet in Guangzhou, Mr Muldoon was serenaded by a senior Chinese official with two New Zealand songs she had learned from the Minister of Agriculture (Mr MacIntyre) while on an official visit to New Zealand. The songs were “You Are My Sunshine” and “Now is the Hour.” Sparked by Mr Muldoon, .New Zealanders sang “Pokarekareana” to the Chinese.