Mr HARDGRAVE(7.45 p.m.) —The death yesterday of Mr David C.S. Hong should be mourned by all Australians. David Hong was a great man. My deepest sympathy goes to his wife, Linda, his family and his colleagues, both here in Australia and back in Taiwan. His role as representative of the Taiwanese government to Canberra was one he relished and his efforts in promoting stronger cultural and economic ties between both nations were producing great dividends for both countries. David was just 59 years old. He was a career diplomat with service including as Consul-General in Cape Town, South Africa.

David Hong died in the line of duty for his country. His death yesterday morning in Melbourne, following a stroke, has certainly shocked me and many others in this place. We shared dinner just a few days ago—the annual dinner of the Australia-Taiwan Parliamentary Friendship Group—and warmly bade each other goodbye, secure in the knowledge that we would no doubt see each other again soon.

David was one of the first people who welcomed me to Canberra, making a courtesy visit to my Parliament House office a year ago. This gesture summed up David Hong for me. He was a gentleman, a fine diplomat, a great representative for his country, and a strong advocate for both our nations. David and I met each other on countless occasions here in Canberra and also in my electorate of Moreton.

It is certainly worth reflecting on the difficult post which David Hong held. Australia, like most Western countries, has a one-China policy: we do not officially recognise Taiwan. David Hong could not be called ambassador for his country. Here he was called the representative of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office. He was like a rock in the middle of a raging torrent—the torrent being the maelstrom of mainland China, ever checking our adherence to our one-China policy. David reflected upon this in his speech to the parliamentary friendship group just last week. I, like many others in this place, share his frustrations.

David Hong represented a nation of 21 million people, proudly democratic and aggressively free enterprise. He constantly tried to do things to improve the situation of official dealings between our two countries. It must have been frustrating to him last week to read headlines about the PRC ruthlessly working to suffocate Taiwan's links with Australia.

No other country should tell this country who our friends should be. Given that Taiwan has the largest foreign exchange reserves in the world and is looking for places to invest, it is very much so in Australia's interests to promote strong ties with the Republic of China on Taiwan as well as with the People's Republic of China.

Last April I was privileged to be a guest of the Taiwanese government as a member of a delegation from this parliament's friendship group. Along with colleagues from both sides of politics, including Mr Deputy Speaker Nehl, I met with key legislators, bureaucrats and, importantly, the captains of industry in Taiwan.

There are many major Australian companies with operations in Taiwan—Readymix, Transfield, CSR and many others. China Motors is affiliated with Mitsubishi Motors in Australia and Japan and they now order 2,000 Australian made Diamante luxury cars for the Taiwan market each year. These cars are made in South Australia and are the top of the range of China Motors' fleet. This is another example of Australian jobs being created by the economic ties with Taiwan. In the southern industrial port city of Kaohsiung, there are strong links with Australia, particularly with people from my own electorate.

The delegation visited the headquarters of An Feng Steel, coincidently on the day that local newspapers reported that the Howard federal government was giving the go-ahead for a joint venture between An Feng Steel and an Australian company, Kingstream, to construct and operate a steel smelter at Geraldton, Western Australia. This is a multi-billion dollar project which is going to earn a lot of money for Australia. The success of this project will trigger even more investment by other Taiwanese companies. Taiwan's `look south' foreign investment policy is very much so focused on Australia. This is important and good news. It is also part of the work done which was done by David Hong.

The Moreton electorate has more people of Taiwanese origin than any other electorate in Australia. So there are many people whom I represent in this place who share the grief that I have for the passing of David Hong. David Hong supported and encouraged the efforts of groups in my electorate to promote friendship and understanding between all Australians, especially over the past difficult year as some have tried to raise racial tensions. Those groups include the Taiwanese Friendship Society of Queensland, the Taiwan Women's League and the ROC-Australia Business Association.

I am pleased to be part of a government which supports Taiwan's entry into the World Trade Organisation, in tandem with the entry of the PRC in the near future. The goodwill that is between Australia and Taiwan will strengthen in the years ahead. With closer economic and cultural ties comes more understanding and more cross-pollination of people and ideas and capital. Australia needs a friendship with both Chinas.

Australia has lost a good friend in sudden and tragic circumstances. I am greatly saddened by the death of David Hong. Taiwan, though, will continue to have many goods friends in this place and throughout Australia, as we as a nation have in Taiwan.