§ 11. Mr. Juddasked the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs whether he will make a statement on British policy towards the representation of China at the United Nations.
§ Mr. Goronwy RobertsIt has been stated on many occasions in this House and in the United Nations General Assembly that Her Majesty's Government support the immediate seating of the Chinese People's Republic in the United Nations. Although Chinese treatment of British subjects in the past year has been disgraceful, we do not intend to allow this to deflect us from maintaining a policy which we believe to be right.
§ Mr. JuddI thank my right hon. Friend for that reply. Will he explain why, in view of this, the Government continue to regard the admission of China to the United Nations as, in United Nations terminology, an important question requiring a two-thirds majority?
§ Mr. RobertsI do not see how it can be denied that this is a question of importance under Article 18(2) of the Charter. Opinion in the United Nations is deeply divided on this, as the reports of the voting in at least the past two years clearly show. It is for this reason that, while we support the seating of the C.P.R. in the United Nations, we adhere to our decision also to regard it as an important question.
§ Sir C. OsborneAre not the Government aware that even if Peking were invited to take a seat at the United Nations it would refuse so to do while Formosa has a seat there? Is not it false to keep raising the hope that a 880 seat for Peking in the United Nations would ease the situation in the Far East?
§ Mr. RobertsOne cannot assume what the hon. Gentleman has said. We must wait and see.