FIRST CONTACT

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 70, Issue 7, 19 October 1949, Page 5

FIRST CONTACT

COMMUNISTS AND BRITISH HONG KONG FRONTIER (N.Z.P.A.-Reuter— Copyright). (Rec. 10.0) HONG KONG, Oct. 18. The first official contact between the British authorities and the Chinese Communists on the Hong Kong frontier occurred today in the border town of Shataukok.

It took place between Inspector Robert Oliver and 49 uniformed Communists who arrived in Shataukok this morning. Inspector Oliver had a talk with • (he Communist commander on a formal but friendly basis, and showed him the international boundary line running down the middle of the main street. The Communists were armed with rifles of apparent Japanese manufacture. Among them was a pistolcarrying woman. Chinese from both sides of the frontier gathered to greet the soldiers. Elsewhere the border was quiet. " ~ ' . Nationalist China’s acting-President, Li Tusng-jen to-day blamed, the Government’s failure to carry out certain political reforms for the continued expansion of Communist influence. These reforms could still, however, be immediately carried out. Speaking in Chungking, Li Tsungjen accused the Communists of designing to “sell” China to the Russians. He claimed that there was still a most potential and expanding anti-Communist force among Chinese patriots. He pointed out that the Nationalists still controlled far greater territory than the area under their control during the last of the war against Japan.