FRANCE LOOSENS BLOCKADE ON CHINA
The political skirmishing within the opposing sides of the "cold war" involves changes in international trade. Thus China is seeking better trade relations with capitalist countries and has encountered ~ a more favorable attitude on the part of the French government.
De Gaulle, of course, is not a shining example in his understand-~ ing of economic questions, but, hoping to bring some substance to his illusory dream of a "Europe" independent, under French leadership, of the United States, he has encouraged the desire of French businessmen to strengthen economic relations with the Chinese market.
Within recent weeks, a series of moves have been made in this direction, First of all? there was a trip to Peking taken by Edgar Faure, all-round. politician, who was president of the Council and member of a good many ministries of the right and the left in the Fourth Republic, and who is at present serving as an unofficial ambassador for de Gaulle. Edgar Faure received a cordial. welcome in
He was followed by an agent of de Villiers, president of the National Council of French Employers, the most eminent representative of the industrial world.
Quite recently, four new delegates, the names of whom mean nothing to the general public, but- who are:experts in various. branches- of the: economy, went there, Among other things, an exposition of French. pro-~ ducts is being prepared in Peking for 1964,
In addition the question was raised at the time of Chou En-laits visit to Algeria, of triangular trade combinations between China, Algeria and France -- but nothing certain is known about this for the time being.
The workers movement can only favor these developments, since — neither the economy of the workers states nor the antibureaucratic tendencies in these states can gain from anything savoring of autarchy or economic blockade.
But the extent of these shifts must not be overestimated, The restrictions due to the "cold war" are still quite considerable. France is afflicted beyond doubt by a vicious circle, as can be seen from the following facts:
The government decided some weeks ago to subsidize the Sud- Aviation company in building twenty-five new Caravelles, Since then the decision seems to have been held up. The explanation appears to be the following: A good part of the planes were for China, represen~ tatives of Sud-Aviation having made a trip to: Peking at the same time as Edgar Faure, The U.S. government, having learned through indiscrete talk what was up, let the French government know that if the Caravelles were built for the Chinese then it would not deliver the Boeing KC 1535's which France needs for refueling projected Mirage IV's,
-an element in de Gaullets "striking force," And, without these Boe-. ings, the Mirage IV's could not reach the Soviet border, ee -
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