POINTS AT ISSUE.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 64, Issue 212, 19 June 1944, Page 3

POINTS AT ISSUE.

j UNITED STATES AND CHINA. j CHUNGKING, May 25. ! Present criticism of China and 1 renewed efforts to obtain the solid ; facts on China are encouraging symp- | toms of bigger things, i They draw attention to the underj lying fact that major United Nations’ preparations: against Japan in this theatre are no longer “over the hills and far away,” but matters of immediate planning. Meanwhile, the points at issue between America and China here cluster thickly about the following questions:— First: Why are Chinese troops along the Salween River in Yunnan Province, which were in part trained and equipped by the Americans for offensive tasks, not launching a drive to support Lieutenant-General Stilweli’s Chinese and American forces in the Magoung Valley ill a converging attack on Myitkyina? Secondly: Must American military j expenditure here continue to be paid j at the official exchange rate while the actual purchasing power of Chinese

money has fallen to one-300th of what it was in 1937? (Official parity is only j one-fiftli of what it was in 1937). | Thirdly: Will China make some | positive move to settle her internal | rifts? (An attack on the Chinese Govj eminent for what are regarded as ef- | forts to regiment Chinese students ! abroad is the latest manifestation of, | the American suspicion that China is j drifting toward Fascism), j Observers here connect the forthI coming visit of the United States j Vice-President, Mr Wallace, to Chungj king with these questions, which are j important, not only for Allied oft’enJ sive plans, but also for China’s prospects of successful resistance to newj ! Japanese thrusts. People here have long wondered i why the Japanese, who are unable to j spare aircraft lo cope with the United! States 14th Air Force, the operations! of which take a heavy toll of their j scanty shipping on the China coast,) do not use their land power, of which; they have plenty, to try to grasp the! full lengths of the Peiping-Hankow ■ and Canton railway. Success in this would push the Ame-I rican air bases westward and establish!; full land communications.' Recent Japanese troop movements! indicate that this may now be on thej( card 3. ' ; ■