Muldoon tour to Taiwan attacked

Press, 13 May 1987, Page 8

Muldoon tour to Taiwan attacked

PA Wellington The visit of the former Prime Minister, Sir Robert Muldoon, to Taiwan would not help in developing relations with China, said the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr Lange yesterday. One of the ironies of Sir Robert’s “pilgrimage” was that he had earlier made two separate State visits to China and pledged that New Zealand was embarking on a "one-China policy,” he said. Sir Robert was in Taiwan as a guest of its Government and was not due to return until later this week.

Mr Lange, answering questions in Parliament, said he had received a report on the implications of Sir Robert’s trip.

New Zealand and China had established diplomatic relations in 1972, he said.

Meanwhile, the Opposition chief whip, Mr McKinnon, accused the Government of trying to make political capital out of Sir Robert’s trip. Six Labour members of Parliament, five of whom are currently ministers, had also visited that country, he said.