CHINA'S FUTURE

Auckland Star, Volume LXXVI, Issue 100, 30 April 1945, Page 4

CHINA'S FUTURE

PROSPECTS HOPEFUL Concentrated Allied Blows On Japanese Predicted X.Z. Press Association—Copyright Rcc. 10. CHUNGKING, April 29. Major-General Patrick J. Hurley, United States Ambassador to China, told the Press that Britain, America and Russia were anxious to see a united free democratic China emerge after the war. They considered that China must work out her internal problems in her own way. General Hurley's remarks were based on conversations with Marshal Stalin. M. Molotov, Mr. Churchill. Mr. Eden. President Roosevelt and Mr. Stettinius. He added that the fact that the Chinese Communists had accepted the advice and request of the central Government and had gained a place in the San Francisco delegation was a more hopeful sign of co-operation than any recent development. The military programme which had been worked out for China visualised the concentration of Chinese and American efforts to deliver concentrated blows rather than piecemeal action as hitherto.

Lieutenant-General C. L. Chennault commander of the American Air Force in China, told a United Press correspondent that Japan's China corridor between Tokyo and Singapore had become a dream pipeline. The Japanese had been unable to use the Peiping-Hankow railway for a month. The CantonHankow line had also not been in operation. The Japanese China Air Force was practically busted. The Fourteenth Air Force was opposed aerially only in the Shanghai area. General Chennault expressed the opinion that the Japanese had only 2500 planes in Japan proper. The correspondent added that the enemy supply lines supporting the HonanHupeh drive in April had been hard hit. causing a collapse. There had been a great improvement in the air-ground co-operation between the Chinese ground forces and the Fourteenth Air Force.