New York, 29 September 1972
Confidential
The Minister referred to the visit to Australia of the Chinese table tennis team.1 He spoke of the team’s sportsmanship, of how this was appreciated by Australians generally, and of the success of the visit. He referred also to the conjunction of the visit with that of another sports team from Taiwan and assured the Ambassador that the Australian Government had had no part in and had not welcomed the timing of the other visit.
2. The Minister noted that more and more Australians were visiting China. He said that the organisations involved on the Australian side in connection with sporting and trade contacts (he referred particularly to the Wheat Board and to iron and sugar negotiations) were private bodies. The growing contacts between the Australian and Chinese people were, however, welcomed by the Government.
3. Ambassador Huang asked the Minister about the likelihood of movement in the Australian Government’s attitude towards China. The Minister said that the majority of Australians wanted the establishment of relations with the People’s Republic of China. This had been evident in recent polls. At the same time, however, very many Australians did not want the Government, as they put it, to abandon Taiwan. Ambassador Huang commented that he thought the Australian people wanted good relations with China and wondered whether their views were properly reflected by politicians. The Minister replied that on the contrary politicians in Australia were very aware of and closely reflected public opinion.
4. The Minister referred to the forthcoming elections and was asked by Ambassador Huang when they would be. The Minister said the date had not yet been decided but that the New Zealand elections were to be on 25 November and that Australian and New Zealand elections were frequently in close proximity to each other. The Minister then said he felt that, whichever party formed a government as the result of the elections, it was likely that that government would wish to open negotiations with China.
5. Ambassador Huang referred to Australia as a country in the Pacific and spoke of the need for countries of the area to live together in harmony. The Minister said that Australia shared this view. Australians wanted to see co–operative relationships develop between all countries of the Pacific region. Australia also considered it was inevitably involved in the Asian region. Events of past history had created difficulties between some of us but we had to live together in the one region and it was important that we should live together in harmony. The Minister mentioned Australia’s long historical interest in and contacts with China.
[ matter omitted ]
11. Ambassador Huang saw the Minister in the President’s suite outside the Security Council (he is Council President for September) while waiting for the Council to begin its 1665th meeting. He agreed at very short notice to the meeting and was most amicable throughout.
[NAA: A1838, 3107/38, xi]
1 See footnote 1, Document 340.