CHINA AND THE COLD WAR
| Sir,-The recent visit to China by a group of New Zealanders has given an extremely valuable stimulus to the local interest in Chinese affairs. The occasion has also emphasised, Sir, a grave disadvantage which New Zealand chooses to impose upon herself. Surely it needs no arguing that we stand in urgent need of a continuous supply of reliable information about what is happening in China. Nothing short of this will do if New Zealand aspires to play a responsible role in Pacific politics. Continuity of the kind of information needed can only be provided, however, when diplomatic representation is established at Peking; and, obviously, a knowledge of | the Chinese language should be an indispensable qualification for the post. It is true that this would call for preliminary official recognition of the mainland Government. It is not clear, however, that either our geographical position or military strength entitles us to take a less conciliatory position on the question of recognition than the United Kingdom has taken. To reply eventually will not do. Eventually in practice will almost certainly mean when there is no alternative. It does not call for Oriental astuteness to see this as a policy of eating your cake and wishing to have it too. Finally, Sir, may I say that it seems to me a betrayal of political principle that a question of this magnitude should | be allowed to remain in the doldrums * of party controversy, and that elections should be contested on the price of tea.
E. A.
OLSSEN
(Dunedin).
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New Zealand Listener, Volume 35, Issue 889, 17 August 1956, Page 18
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258CHINA AND THE COLD WAR New Zealand Listener, Volume 35, Issue 889, 17 August 1956, Page 18
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