HC Deb 31 March 1980 vol 982 cc66-7W
Mr. Adley

asked the Secretary of State for Defence if he will make a statement on his discussions in China concerning sales of military equipment in general, and the Harrier in particular.

Mr. Pym

I visited China for four days from Sunday 23 March at the invitation of the Chinese Defence Minister; I had talks in Peking on a wide range of matters of common concern with senior Chinese Ministers and their advisers, including a two-hour meeting with Premier Hua; and in Shanghai I represented Her Majesty's Government at the opening of the British aviation equipment exhibition, and had talks on defence sales with the Chinese Minister of the 3rd Machine Building (Aerospace) Ministry.

My objectives in visiting China were to reaffirm the importance Her Majesty's Government attach to the United Kingdom's relations with China and to further these relations; to exchange views on world issues; and to do what I could to improve the prospects for civil and defence sales. I was received with very great courtesy and friendliness and my hosts clearly went to very great pains to make my visit a success. I also found a considerable degree of common understanding on world issues, and in particular on the need to maintain strong defences against any potential aggressor, and a common recognition that instability in one region can affect global stability. Both Governments condemn the Russian invasion of Afghanistan and see the Soviet occupation of that country as a continuing threat to world peace.

On defence sales, including Harrier, and on the supply of equipment generally, I think that the Chinese will want to move

Non-Industrial Industrial Total
At 1 April 1976 124,700 119,800 244,500
At 1 April 1977 120,500 115,400 235,900
At 1 April 1978 116,600 110,900 227,500
At 1 April 1979 114,800 109,900 224,700
At 1 March 1980 113,000 106,100 219,100

The numbers employed in the Royal ordnance factories on the same dates were as follows:

Non-Industrial Industrial Total
At 1 April 1976 5,300 16,400 21,700
At 1 April 1977 5,400 17,400 22,800
At 1 April 1978 5,700 17,200 22,900
At 1 April 1979 5,900 17,100 23,000
At 1 March 1980 5,900 15,800 21,700

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