OPTIMISM IN CHUNGKING

Dominion, Volume 34, Issue 81, 30 December 1940, Page 8

OPTIMISM IN CHUNGKING

Chinese Offensive Next Year VICTORY EXPECTED Increasing Help From Abroad LONDON, December 27. 1 he Chinese people expect to be able to take the offensive against Japan during the coming year. In a review of the military situation today, a Chinese military spokesman at Chungking said that 1941 will be the year in which the Chinese will take the oilensive and achieve victory. General Chiang Kai-.-heks army now numbers over 3.000,006 regular troops. One million of these are mobile units, and large numbers of recruits are constantly in training. Armaments in the defence of the interior of China have been progressively developed, and China’s army is how obtaining better equipment l han ever before.

It: is staled in Chungking tliat the people of Japan are at last beginning to realize the true situation in whic’j the Japanese army finds itself aftei* three years of bloody, costly, and indecisive fighting in the vast territories of China.

Another reason for increased optimism in Chungking is that the international situation is now more favourable to. China. Great Britain, the United States, ami the Soviet Union are all increasing their aid to China. In Chungking there are welcome signs of increasing co-operation between Great Britain and the United States in the Far East.

According to a message from Shanghai more than 3,000,000 dollars (£750,000) worth of war materials lias reached China this week along the Burma Road.