NEW INVASION

Auckland Star, Volume LXXIV, Issue 42, 19 February 1943, Page 3

NEW INVASION

JAPANESE OPERATION

Four-Prong Move Into Former French Territory

Rec. 1 p.m. CHUNGKING, Feb. IS,

The Japanese, moving in from four directions, have almost finished the occupation of Kwangchowan Bay, 250 miles south-west of Hongkong, says the United Press correspondent. Kwangchowan Bay was previously administered by French Indo-China. It has the most important naval harbour on the China coast and was the last to fall into Japanese hands.

A Chinese communique says that Japanese troops landed in the territory at Kwangchowan on Monday from five warships. Landings were also made at Luichow, Tungming and Tanghai Island. The Chinese are sternly resisting outside French territory.

The Chinese Army spokesman reports that the Japanese forces which launched a series of drives around Canton a week ago have been beaten back. The Japanese are fleeing to their bases. However, fighting in central Hupeh is growing in intensity. The Japanese, conducting a carefully prepared operation, have made appreciable progress, but the Chinese have recovered at some points. A new Japanese offensive is reported in the, Yengclieng sector of Kiangsi Province, where enemy planes are assisting the land forces and attacking guerilla strongholds. There are heavy casualties on both sides. Lease-Lend Needed by China Mr. Walter Judd, a member of the House of Representatives and a former medical missionary in China, urging the retention of lease-lend to China before the Foreign Affairs Committee, warned of the possibility of losing China as a fighting ally unless Congress gave political assurance, in a declaration of foreign policy, of post-war aims. He said the Chinese people no longer listen to promises. They need definite commitments, he said, adding: "The question is not whether we help China. It is whether China helps us." Disunity threatened the Chungking Government unless economic and political undertakings were forthcoming, he declared.