21 July 2003
Read a full transcript of the Prime Minister’s statement
Prime Minister
I have only got about 10 minutes, so let me just say some opening remarks. First of all there have been excellent and important talks here in China. The possibilities for Britain and its trading relationship with China are absolutely immense. We are already the largest European investor in China. As a result of the discussions today, we have agreed that we want to try and increase by as much as half again our trade over the next few years, and we have agreed to take forward certain work in order to bring that about. And certainly the British companies that I have brought here today believe that there are massive prospects for British jobs and British investment here in China. And remember China is going to be the largest economy in the world within the next 20 - 30 years, so it is a hugely important possibility for us. The second thing is that we obviously had talks on the situation in North Korea, Iraq, the Middle East, India, Pakistan - the main troublespots of the world - and what I think is interesting is the degree to which the Chinese leadership here now are very much trying to assist in resolving some of these most difficult questions. Now there was a disagreement over Iraq, which we know, but there is a willingness on the part of China to work for the reconstruction of Iraq, they supported the United Nations Resolution 1483, and they indicated that they would look favourably upon helping in that process of reconstruction in Iraq, so that is important. In addition, in respect of North Korea, they made it clear that they will continue to work for a peaceful solution to this issue, but one which does definitively put a stop to North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme. I think that is immensely important. In relation to India and Pakistan, obviously they agreed to work with us and with other countries to reduce the tension as far as possible.
I have just come from a meeting too with those people in Beijing who organised the Olympic bid, and obviously we had a discussion as to how they managed to mount a successful bid, and certainly their preparations are on course to make the Beijing Games a pretty fascinating and interesting experience, and we got some quite interesting information out of them too about how we make our bid and make it work properly.
So my abiding reflection, however, is this. I think those of us who have been coming to China, but only at irregular intervals, I think will notice the amazing change, even in the past few years, that has taken place in China, and this is an absolutely central relationship for Britain. And when Premier Wen said this morning that he hoped Britain could become China’s leading European partner, I think that is an important signal that we should respond to, and certainly I intend when I return to make sure that we can put our relations with China on an even stronger footing for the future. We have come a long way since the Hong Kong handover, but I think we have got to go a lot further. This is a key relationship for Britain in the 21st century.
Question and Answer Session
Question
Prime Minister, some people at home are concerned that since the BBC confirmed that Dr Kelly was indeed their source, that the government is implying somehow that they are off the hook, that you don’t have serious questions to answer. And secondly, can I just ask you, they are confused as to why you think it is right, why is it right, to have a judge looking into the circumstances of this one death, and yet not right in your view to have a judge look into the circumstances of all the deaths caused by the war which people have so many worries about?
Prime Minister
I think in relation to that latter point, this is a very special situation, which is why we decided to hold the judicial inquiry because of the concern that there was. And I think the other questions, of course there will be a continuing debate as to whether the war was justified or not. I happen to believe passionately that it was, that the world is a better, and safer, and more secure place without Saddam Hussein. I think the 300,000 missing people already identified by the UN and the mass graves is testament enough to that. And as for the first point, I feel very strongly that what I said yesterday is what I want to say on it, and I think now the inquiry and the judge should be allowed to get on with their work.
Question
Have you had enough of talking about it, is that what you are saying to us?
Prime Minister
No, I just stand by what I said yesterday.
Question
If Judge Hutton wants to expand his inquiry so that it resembles the kind of inquiry that others have been calling for, would you back him in doing that?
Prime Minister
I think it is important that he does what we have asked him to do, and I don’t think it would be sensible to do any more.
Question
You are going to Hong Kong and you talked on Thursday about America bequeathing the light of liberty to the world. Obviously in Hong Kong there have been bitter demonstrations about a Bill the Interior Ministry wants to introduce. What is your position on democratic rights in Hong Kong, particularly freedom of expression?
Prime Minister
I think it is important to set this in the context of the Joint Declaration that we negotiated with China, and that allows one country-two systems to operate. Now the original propositions that were put forward, there were concerns in Hong Kong, and they prompted, as you know, a very large demonstration of people. The Hong Kong authorities have now taken that position back and will look at it again, and I think that is a sensible way of proceeding. And I think the fact that that has been supported by the Chinese authorities here indicates that they are sensitive to the need to maintain the one country-two systems principle. You know also that there are proposals to move towards greater democracy in Hong Kong. Obviously we support that. And I hope very much, and I will know this better once I have had direct talks in Hong Kong, but I hope very much that we can get that process of change back on track.
Question
I want to ask you about North Korea, but I just want to clear one thing up about your own evidence to the inquiry that has been announced today. Do you anticipate you will give evidence in public? And it has been reported you might have to break your holiday.
Prime Minister
I will do what the judge in charge of the inquiry wants me to do. We should cooperate fully and in any way.
Question
He said most of the hearings would be in public, some would be in private. Where would you see yourself be?
Prime Minister
That is up to him. You wanted to ask one on North Korea?
Question
I am a bit confused that all round the world people say yes there is a really serious urgent problem, we want to work together to solve this, but there doesn’t seem to be any sort of deadline, either as far as the urgency of the problem, or indeed the urgency of action. So what are you working towards?
Prime Minister
I think there is a sense of urgency. There have been talks just recently between China, America, North Korea. There is the desire then to have further talks, I think you will find within the next few weeks, to reconvene those talks. And I believe, as I said earlier, that that has got to be extended to include Japan and South Korea, at least at some stage in that process. But I think what is being said now by the international community on North Korea is very, very clear. It is not acceptable for North Korea to carry on developing its nuclear weapons programme, it is not acceptable for them to carry on proliferating and exporting nuclear weapons technology to other highly unstable states. We want to resolve this peacefully and through dialogue, and Britain, the other countries involved in this process, we will do everything we can to ensure that we obtain that result, in other words an end to North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme. And I think that can be done by diplomatic pressure and dialogue and with the recognition then that after that undertaking from North Korea is secured, then North Korea should be given some help and assistance in making a transition to a different type of country. Because it cannot be acceptable either that a country continues to spend billions of dollars on nuclear weapons whilst its people are still starving. Now is that process of dialogue going to be successful? I hope so. We have got to work to make sure it is, but there is a lot of pressure. The key thing that has changed in respect of North Korea is there is now pressure here in this region, from China, from Japan, from South Korea - and the pressure from China is particularly important - in bringing home to the North Korean regime they have got to change their position on this nuclear weapons programme. Otherwise this region’s stability is threatened, but more importantly the stability of the wider world is threatened. And the one thing that came out very strongly in the talks I had with the Chinese leadership today is their agreement and understanding that if there is instability in North Korea, the whole of the world is going to be affected, the world economy, the world security. So I think there is a far greater sense of urgency and determination on the part of the Chinese leadership than ever before to get this resolved.
delicious
digg
facebook
