CHINA'S AWAKENING.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 305, 26 December 1930, Page 10

CHINA'S AWAKENING.

WORK OF NATIONAL PAftTf. AECONStfUtJCTfON TAsks. - VIGOROUS FOREIGN POLICY: The China of to-day is.riptthe .China of old romance, nor ev.en the China of 30 years ago, contentedly drearthng of past glories. China to-day is a living, moving force. A new spirit of nationalism has been awakened in the hearts of the people, who are determined that China shall take, her rightful p>ce among the nations of the world. This strong declaration was made by the Chinese Cbhsul-Cienefai'(Mf. IV T. Sung) at a banquet given .iff. his honour by the Chinese residents of Brisbane recently. . . • - • , '■_■•■ Reviewing the more recent history of China, Mr.' Sung said that the overthrow of the/Mahchii dynasty in lflll, heqes-' sary as it was for. the'progress pf-the country, nevertheless threw China into a period of -political cha.bg"attd;Civil war, Which had been the caiise of JflUcli.suffering to the people, Dr;. Sun Yat Sen, "the father of the Republic," recognised three distinct periods in the revolution of the country—first, aperjod of military destruction, which, apparently was inevitable, and" Which lasted, for 17 years; secondly, a period of political training, and, lastly, a perjod of -con l stitution.: , - *»; j.:'.^ Ofigift of National.Movement. The Ktib-mifl-tapg, of Chinese National party, had its brigiii in the Hung Men Hui (latef known as TtihgMen Hui), a . revblhtibhary Society f brined in Tokyo, Japali, in.. 1904;/ in 19155, When the elections for. provincial and natibnal assemblies were held, it united with other liberal parties for .the pur* pose of this election, and the KuO-mmt tang Was born. By' 19216 it-had become: a much strbnger political force Within the country, and the ideas /Which it held became■' much more generally accepted. By Mafch, 1927, the Nationalist Armywas in control of the whole of the country south of the Yahgtse Valley. Difficulties With the more radical members of the party delayed further operations for»a Whale year. In March, 1928, the Kuo-min-tang party set out for Peking, the capture' of, Which City", so long the seat of the Northern Government, Was essential for the party's pfes= By June, despite" international Complications at Tsinan, Shantung, the city' of Peking had been evacuated, and assisted by Feng Yu Hsiang, the Kou-min-tahg Was in possesion of .the Northern capital, and the seat of government for the whole of China was definitely estah lished at Nanking. The name of Peking Was Changed to that by which it was originally known, Peiping, meaning "Nbrthern Peace." :

It was claimed, Baid Mr. Sung, that the period of military destruction was over, and that the" second period—that of political training—had been entered upon. In effect, the party was in the position of national dictator* acting on behalf of tile people until such time as the people themselves should be in a position to set up a constitutional Gov* 1 ernment. Thus the National Congress of the Kuo-min-tang was the highest authority within the country/ Having Obtained this measure of unity and stablity the country was frankly facing its problems of reconst'ructioii, It was fortunate that China, with this reconstruction work before her, was not overburdened with national debt. Australia, so he gathered from the newspapers, had an interest bill of £1,000,000 a week. It was probable that China's 'total' indebtedness did not much exceed that sum. - .

i Far more.important than military successes, far more vital than capture of the former capital city, was the new spirit of nationalism that had been awakened in the hearts of the people. This alone Had made possible the national revolution. In its vigorous foreign policy the National Government of China was focussing its attention oil the overseas Chinese, whereas under the Manchu dynasty ho consideration Was given to those people who had emigrated, A commission had been appointed which Was n T?Y n Zf? tigatin & l he conditions Under which Chinese lived in the countries of their adoption.