CHINESE OFFENSIVE

Greymouth Evening Star, 6 December 1940, Page 8

CHINESE OFFENSIVE

PLANNED FOR THE SPRING RUSSIAN AID CONTINUED [BY CABLE.—PRESS ASSN.—COPYRIGHT.] SHANGHAI, December 4. Chinese newspapers report that the Chinese High Command is feverishly preparing for a general counter-of-fensive on a large scale next Spring. More than 500 trucks which recently arrived from America are now stated to be rushing military supplies to the northern and southern fronts. Every effort is being made to provide the Chinese.forces in all areas with adequate quantities of war material. The Chinese newspapers also report that the British Government is considering a credit of £6,000,000 to China. Another report says that negotiations for a huge loan from. Britain and Russia are proceeding smoothly.

CHINESE RAID CANTON. HONG KONG, December 4. ’ ■ According to the “Central News” here, Chinese mobile units raided Japanese gendarmerie headquarters in Canton at night, and inflicted many casualties. LOAN FROM RUSSIA. (Received December 6, 10.45 a.m.) SHANGHAI, December 5. Coincident with Russia’s notification to Japan, that the Soviet policy towards China remains unchanged, it is persistently rumoured in Shanghai that Russia is on the verge of extending to China a substantial loan, and also increasing aid by the Russia road route. STATION BOMBED. SHANGHAI, December 5. A Kunming message states that Japanese planes bombed Chihtsun station, wounding a number of Chinese civilians, also two French raiD road staff. JAPANESE TRANSPORTS. (Recd. December 6, 1 p.m.) HANOI, December 5. A freighter captain, arriving at Haipong, reported that he sighted a number of Japanese transports steaming southward, south of Hainan Island. SHANGHAI, December 5. A foreign military official received reports that the largest number of Japanese transports seen so far, have concentrated at Hainan in the past few days. They are capable of carrying a large expeditionary force. Presumably the freighter captain’s report refers to part of the same concentration. INDO-CHINA UNREST. HANOI, December 4. After three days of sharp fighting, the French authorities of Indo-China have announced: “Our reprisals for the Siamese attacks have been halted so as to permit of diplomats having an opportunity for a settlement of the matter. Native disturbances have been increased in three provinces in western I Cochin-China. Twenty native officers <were killed in the south in suppressing disorders. Several French gunboats have been sent to Hanoi in face of threatened uprisings in the north. (.Forty-eight have been arrested at Tonkin and Annam and charged as Communists.

SINGAPORE REINFORCEMENTS (Received December 6, 9 a.m.) LONDON, December 5. “The Times’s” Singapore correspondent says: Sir H. Brooke Popham expects to visit Australia and New Zealand. . This and other interesting facts were revealed in an interview in which Sir H. Brooke Popham recalled a luncheon with Mr. Churchill, at which he, Sir John Dill, and Sir Cyril Newall were present, before his departure from London. “Mr. Churchill is extremely well informed on all aspects of the situation in the Far East. He told me that we will hold Singapore,, no matter what happens. He said that I could rest assured there would be a continuous and steady flow of men and munitions to the countries under my command. No effort will be spared to make Singapore, Malaya, and all other British countries as strong and well defended as is humanly possible. I feel sure that Britain will continue to grow in strength in the Far East. We may expect reinforcements of men and materials—a stronger Army and a bigger Air Force. A lot has already been done in this direction recently, and the trend will continue. It is an inspiring thought, that the Home Country can still afford to strengthen the Empire’s outlying defences, at a moment when she is fighting for her very existence.”