Mr Muldoon reviews visit to China

Press, 20 September 1980, Page 2

Mr Muldoon reviews visit to China

NZPA Hong Kong The Chinese Communist Party Vice-Chairman (Deng Xiaoping), who had just., resigned as Senior VicePremier last week at the National People’s Congress, insisted several times to the Prime Minister (Mr Muir doon) in Peking, “Now I am a private citizen,” according to Mr Muldoon in Hong Kong yesterday. “He ; .iay be a private citizen but one to whom everyone listens,” said Mr Muldoon.

He was talking about the new Chinese decision to separate Party from Government which he described as '“a very firm policy.” Referring to the party chairman (Hua Guofeng), who also stepped down from the premiership at the People’s Congress in line with the separation policy, Mr Muldoon said. “He appears to have succeeded as the head of the party, giving every evidence of confidence. I could detect no sign of any weakness in his position.” Thinking that. Mr Hua may be more relaxed for travel than before, Mr Muldoon extended an invitation to him to visit New Zealand. Mr Hua replied, “Thanks.” An official reply is still awaited from Mr Hua.

Mr Muldoon said he had not extended any invitation to China’s new Prime Minister (Zhao Ziyang), with whom he had held long talks while in Peking because, “it was obvious to me that he is going to be extremely busy.” Mr Zhao’s succession to the premiership has fulfilled a prediction by the late Chinese premier (Chou Eh-Lai) who had. tbld Mr Muldoon jokingly four or five years earlier in Peking, “If you come back to China four or five years later maybe you can meet the next new premier.”

Mr Muldoon said Mr Zhao was “a .man;’ of uncommon resolve.; His record (Of successful economic experiment arid development in Sichuan) speaks for itself. I feel' his interest- is in domestic economy.-?' « “The most significant statement on China’s economic poljcy was what China’s new Prime, Minister had qubted J to? rjirt'' — dictum of Lenin that socialism can only be built on a

capitalist system,” said Mr Muldoon.

“With the dictum as a guide they (the Chinese) now propose to introduce a considerable element of capitalism and build their socialist system on that, public ownership but private deci-sion-making at the lowest level of enterprises.” There would be considerable co-operation by China with other countries and joint ventures with other countries with the expertise to add to the resources and manpower of China. These would be welcomed, Mr Muldoon said.

Similarly, in trade, the responsibility and decisionmaking would be at the provincial level and lower rather than simply through the Central Government. That was why the Chinese leaders had ■ asked Mr Muldoon specifically to make a trip to the east China coastal province of Fujian for two days where at the total level the decisions would be made on joint and trading ventures with other countries.

Fujian had the geographical advantage of being close to New Zealand, said Mr Muldoon.

Of China-New Zealand cooperation, Mr Muldoon said that the areas discussed with the Chinese leaders in Peking included agriculture (particularly animal husbandry), certain specialised aspects of horticulture, forestry and its products, tourism, hotels, small business management, generally science and culture in a very broad cerise, geothermal steam, ceramics, and the manufacture of various products from wool.