STRIFE IN CHINA

Evening Star, Issue 25679, 31 December 1945, Page 5

STRIFE IN CHINA

CONFLICTING REPORTS FROM NORTH TRUCE NEGOTIATIONS (Rec. 11.35 a.m.) CHUNGKING, Dec. 30. The Chinese Nationalists and Communists each claimed that the other was taking the offensive as the Nationalists were examining the Communsts proposals for a truce. The Communists’ spokesman said that 225,000 Government troops had captured Kupehow on the border between China and Inner Mongolia in a drive to conquer Jchol Province. A Government despatch said that 50.000 Communists since the middle of December had been attacking Kulfoiv and Shantung, the birthplace of Confucius.

The Communists claimed that more than 60,000 fully-armed Japanese had been sent to the fronts to the north and to the southward of Taiyun to participate in attacks on the Communists. The Communists control a 30-mile section of the Grand Canal between Kaoyu and Nanking. They also captured five strongpoints on the TientsinPukow railway, but lost Tasoyang, a highway centre 140 miles north-west of Hankow.

Announcing that Marshal Chiang Kai-shek’s reply to the Communists’ unconditional truce proposal would be issued to-morrow, a Nationalist spokesman complained that any plan for freezing both sides in their present positions would not achieve the restoration of communications or the disarmament of the Japanese troops, He added that the Communists, since turning down Cliiang’s truce offer last month, had changed their attitude because they had suffered crushing defeats in attempting to take the Mongolian cities of Paotow, ICweisui, and Lincheiig. 11 Plans are under consideration to move additional Chinese troops to Manchuria,” said Major-general A. C. Wedemeyer. Moro American troops would be needed to accompany them in order to supervise their disembarkation and to handle suppiv and other problems, all of which was in line with America’s newlv broadened policy to aid Marshal Chiang Kai-shek. Other reasons for ’tmivasiiig American personnel were the guarding of American equipment the organising of a military advisory group, and the repatriation of the Tao.ine.se. General Wedemeyer added. The advisory group’s task would ho to aid China in the creation of modern military ground, air, and sea forces.