PEOPLE'S REPUBLIC OF CHINA (Reappraisal of relations)

[Mr Speaker in the Chair]

Mr Low Yong Nguan asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Labour, in view of the rapid changes taking place in Southeast Asia, if he will consider a more realistic reappraisal of relations with the People's Republic of China.

The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Minister for Labour (Mr S. Rajaratnam): Mr Speaker, Sir, though I agree with the hon. Member that rapid changes are taking place in Southeast Asia, there appears to be no change as yet on the part of the People's Republic of China towards the Republic of Singapore. Members of the House are no doubt aware that the policy of the People's Republic of China towards Singapore is that it does not exist as an independent state and that it is, as far as it is concerned, a part of what the Chinese Government refers to as Malaya.

This being so, I do not see how Singapore could consider a "more realistic reappraisal of relations" with a country which, for reasons of its own, considers that the State of Singapore does not exist.

However, the policy of the Singapore Government has been, as has constantly been reiterated, to be friendly with all governments which are ready to be friendly with it. But it is extremely difficult to be friendly with a government which appears to believe that the State of Singapore does not exist.

Mr Low Yong Nguan (Crawford): (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker. Sir, I have two supplementary questions to raise.

First, the Minister for Foreign Affairs has said that basically the attitude of the People's Republic of China towards us has not changed. But if we continue to do things like letting the Taiwan Government's trade representatives conduct their business in Singapore, how can we expect the People's Republic of China to change its attitude towards us?

Second, what kind of attitude will our representatives in the United Nations adopt towards the question of admission of the People's Republic of China?

Mr Rajaratnam: I think the Member is aware that in regard to trade between countries, the question of recognition does not enter into the picture. We do trade with the People's Republic of China despite the fact that it does not recognise us. Similarly we do trade with the Taiwan Government despite the fact that it does recognise our existence. So I think trade has nothing to do with the question of recognition.

In regard to our attitude towards the People's Republic of China in the United Nations, if the Member will read the back numbers of newspapers, he will see that we have made our position clear -that we are for the admission of China to the United Nations. But, unfortunately, in the United Nations this question is not decided on its merits. There is a lot of political manoeuvring going on. So the questions are invariably phrased in such a way as to compel us to take sides on what are essentially big power political struggles in the United Nations. So we always say that in principle we are quite prepared to support, as we have, the admission of China to the United Nations. Once having decided on that, we shall consider the question of the status of Formosa.

Mr Low Yong Nguan: (In Mandarin): Mr Speaker, Sir, a further supplementary question. The Foreign Minister has said that trade and diplomatic recognition are two separate matters. But I would like to know this. We have trade contacts with the Taiwan Government in the five years since we became independent. But have we any trade contacts officially with the People's Republic of China?

The second point I would like the Foreign Minister to clarify is this. In the United Nations, do we adopt the attitude that, as a tactical measure, we avoid facing the important question of recognition of the People's Republic of China's right of representation? If we do, I cannot agree with this attitude.

Mr Rajaratnam: In regard to trade again, if the Member will go around Singapore, I think he will find that a lot of trade is going on with China. He can buy goods from China. I think we have a perfect understanding on that score. Even American tourists come here and buy cheap goods from China.

In regard to our stand in the United Nations, as I have already said, we are for the admission of the People's Republic of China to the United Nations. There are some 140 nations who have different views, and therefore this question has never really been decided on a straightforward yes or no.

Mr Low Yong Nguan: (In Mandarin): Sir, I would like to ask the Minister to make a clear-cut statement in this connection. Since we recognise the People's Republic of China as the only logical representative of China in the United Nations, is he of the view that the People's Republic of China is the only government which can represent the Chinese people in the United Nations? Maybe as the Minister for Foreign Affairs he finds it very difficult to make a clear-cut statement, but I would like to ask him to do so.

The second question is this: since our independence, have we established any official trade links, directly or indirectly, with the People's Republic of China?

Mr Rajaratnam: Mr Speaker, Sir, I think no Foreign Minister ever gives any direct answers to questions which are not necessarily in the interest of Singapore. The Member will agree that any answer that I give should not be in the interest of the People's Republic of China, but in the interest of the people of the Republic of Singapore. So my answer is that we recognise that the seat now occupied by the representative of Nationalist China should be occupied by the representative of the People's Republic of China. As to who really represents the people of China, I have never been there; I have never consulted the 700 million people of China. So it is not for me to say, and it is not for the Member to say.

In regard to trade links, we have lots of trade links. Goods are coming here from China. They have a bank here. I think that is concrete evidence that whatever the theory might be, in practice there are considerable trade relations which, may I add, are by and large to the advantage of the People's Republic of China. They sell to us more than they buy from us, which is not a bad situation to be in for even the People's Republic of China.