ATTACK BEATEN BACK

Press, Volume XCI, Issue 27591, 23 February 1955, Page 13

ATTACK BEATEN BACK

Communist Threat To Nanchishan

(N .Z. Press Association—Copyright) (Rec. 11-50 p.m.) TAIPEH, February 22. A . Chinese Communist invasion fleet moved on Nanchishan Island today, but was beaten back by a heavy air attack 10 miles from the island, an authoritative Nationalist military source reported. According to. the United Press,. United States military sources said that American jets based on Formosa had not been ordered out to defend Nanchishan. A spokesman said none of the United States Air Force F-86 Sabre jets now based in Formosa was patrolling over the off-shore islands today.

According to the United Press report, Nationalist military sources said the Communist “sneak attack” was discovered early in the morning, and that air and naval forces rushed to the attack and caught the Communists 10 to 12 miles off Nanchishan.

“The war is on for Nanchishan,” an authoritative Nationalalist military source said, the dispatch said. The Communists were spotted while moving northward from the Taishan Islands, 30 miles to the south.

BRITISH CHINA POLICY

Clash Expected At Bangkok (Rec. 11 p-m.) NEW YORK* Feb. 21. Diplomatic quarters predicted tonight that the United States Sec* retary of State (Mr Dulles) and the British Foreign Secretary (Sir Anthony Eden) would clash strongly on Formosa policy at the South-east Asia Defence Organisation conference, said a United Press report from Bangkok. The same quarters, the report said, predicted that Australia would side with the United States against the British policy, which Australia felt was playing into the hands of Communist China. The report added that Australia was expected to take an even stronger stand than the United States on the demand for “no more retreats in Asia.” The sources said a serious rift might develop between Britain and Australia if Sir Anthony Eden, in private talks, tried to push his ideas for a Formosan cease fire, negotiated outside the United Nations, and the British theory of “two Chinas.” The United States opposed any talks outside the United Nations on the Formosa cease fire situation, the sources said. The United States also knew that Marshal Chiang Kai-shek opposed a cease fire. The Communists had also opposed a cease fire and the idea of “two Chinas” which, the sources said, made it appear that the British were pushing a “wishful thinking project.”