Army in Peking clashes'

Press, 14 October 1976, Page 1

Army in Peking clashes'

NZPA-Reuter Tokyo

The Chinese Army has been clashing at two universities with student supportera of Chiang Ching, the widow of Mao Tsetting. whose arrest was reported on Tuesday, according to reports reaching Tokyo.

According to reports from Taiwan citing national intelligence, tens of thousands of students began holding mass meetings at Peking and Tsinghua Universities last Saturday, and units of the Peking garrison had to be called in to disperse them. The confrontation has continued, the Nationalist Chinese reports say.

David Rogers, an NZPAReuter correspondent, reports from Peking that foreigners have seen extra troops near the two universities, both known leftist campuses and traditional supporters of Madame Mao.

Otherwise, Peking appeared completely normal, and reports from Shanghai said China’s most populous city was also calm.

Chinese officials yesterday declined to comment on fresh reports of a sweeping purge of radicals, about 40 altogether, including the Culture Minister (Mr Yu Hui-yung). An official spokesman would not comment on a report on the arrests from a reliable source in the capital.

However, Western analysts say they are now convinced at least of the arrests of Madame Mao and three other members of the politburo of the Chinese Communist Party.

The other three are Wang Hung-wen. vicechairman of the party; the senior Deputy Prime Minister. Chang Chun-chiapo, and Yao Wen-yuan, a party theoretician. Word of their detention has spread to the man in the street.

There has still been no formal announcement of the promotion of Hua Kuofeng from Prime Minister to Chairman and leader of the nation, but official spokesmen have confirmed that the appointment has in fact been made. Wallposters have been saying this for almost a week.

Diplomats said that the Prime Minister of Papua New Guinea (Mr Michael Somare), who is on an official visit to China, had been told by Mr Hua personally of his appointment.