EASTERN ROAD BUILDERS

Ellesmere Guardian, Volume LX, Issue 18, 7 March 1939, Page 3

EASTERN ROAD BUILDERS

The report that America's £5,000,000 credit to China would be spent on motor lorries, comments the Spectator, "has already drawn attention to China's new road from Chungking, on the Yangtse, to the Burmese frontier, 1400 miles away; from the frontier there is road communication with Rangoon and elsewhere. On his arrival in London recently, the United States Ambassador to China described how on December 12 he set out from Chungkiang on the first journey by private car made along the road. The entire journey to Rangoon, a distance of 2100 miles, was accomplished without accident in 13 days. He described the building of the road as a brilliant achievement,. as it was performed entirely by native labour, with no road-building equipment, unless bullock-carts count as such. But China will be well repaid for her labour. The road offers her safe communication with Rangoon, as a source of supplies from the Western, world; it is now said to be in regular use. The benefit to China should be shared by Britain and other countries whose trade has suffered injury by the Japanese occupation of China's ports. Indeed the road ma.y offer exceptional opportunities for the development of Rangoon as an avenue for British trade with China. For the present at any rate China's power will be concentrated in her Western provinces, and to them the new highway gives direct access.