FAR EAST

Greymouth Evening Star, 2 May 1938, Page 7

FAR EAST

TANGCHENGSTRUGGLE. [BY CABLE —PRESS ASSN. —COPYRIGHT.] HANKOW, May 1. The Japanese recaptured Tangcheng, which has changed hands twice in 12 hours. The Chinese twice raided the Japanese aerodrome, and claim to have destroyed 21 aeroplanes. According to an earlier report the Chinese claimed that in a counterattack they recaptured Tangcheng, arrested the Japanese drive to Lunghai, and also repulsed the Japanese coutner-attack on Yihsien. CHINESE COMMUNISTS WELLINGTON, May 2. The interview with the new Japanese Consul-General, Kuchi Gunji, last week, has drawn a reply from the Chinese Consul, Feng Wang. China’s policy, he says, rests firmly on the foundation of the three people’s principles enunciated by the late Dr. Sun Yat Sen. During the last decade, supreme efforts have been made by the Kuomintang and the National Government to prevent the spread of Communist doctrines, and to suppress the violence of the Chinese Communists. The long-drawn out campaign against the Communists and the great cost it involved, are facts too well known to require lengthy narration.

More recently, the Communist party awakening to the acute danger of foreign aggression realised that national salvation could be achieved only through wholehearted enforcement of the three people’s principles. Consequently on September 22, the Communist party formally declared, first, the renunciation of the theory and practice of violence; second, the cessation of all activities aimed at Bolsheving China. Third, the abolition of the Chinese Soviets; fourth, abandonment of the Chinese red army. In view of those developments, it may be said that the whole Chinese nation is devoted to the three people’s principles to-day, striving under the guidance of Generalissimo Chiang Kaishek, to resist foreign aggression, and to realise Sun Yat Sen’s loity ideals. The facts cannot be obscured by propaganda, however cleverly contrived. It cannot bo over-emphasised that the present unhappy state of relations between Chinese and Japanese is entirely due to Japan’s ceaseless aggression against China. in regard to the claim that Japan wants co-operation with China, he says, she wants domination, not cooperation. She can have co-operation the moment she abandons her traditional policy of force and ceases from acts of aggression and recalls her forces.