HC Deb 26 June 1973 vol 858 cc1314-5
Q2. Mr. Dalyell

asked the Prime Minister if he will make a statement on his official talks with the Chinese Foreign Minister.

The Prime Minister

As I told the hon. Gentleman on 12th June, my conversation with the Chinese Foreign Minister, which took place on Friday 8th June, covered a wide range of subjects of common concern. The details are confidential. I have accepted an invitation from the Chinese Prime Minister to visit China. The exact dates remain to be settled.—[Vol. 857, c. 294.]

Mr. Dalyell

In dealing with the Chinese, is not candour the best approach? Did the right hon. Gentleman take the opportunity to make it clear that the British dislike of China's atmospheric nuclear testing was as great as the British dislike of French nuclear testing?

The Prime Minister

The question of nuclear armaments for testing was not raised in the talks either by my right hon. Friend or by me.

Mr. Biggs-Davison

Would it not rather embarrass talks by my right hon. Friend if the advice of the hon. Member for Norwood (Mr. John Fraser) were followed and the policy of the Government was the elimination of dictatorship?

The Prime Minister

I think my hon. Friend has touched upon a very important point which perhaps right hon. and hon. Members opposite ought at some time, not necessarily urgently, to make up their minds about. If we are to have nothing to do with any Government in the world when we disapprove of some of their actions, there would be precious few countries with which we had any relations at all.