MAY LEAVE CHINA

Gisborne Herald, Volume LXVII, Issue 20135, 3 January 1940, Page 11

MAY LEAVE CHINA

JAP. INVADERS CHUNGKING HOPES “AT END OF ROPE” OFFENSIVE CONTINUED MORE BOMBING RAIDS 'Elec. Tul. Copyright—United Press Assn.) (Reed. Jan. 2, 1 p.m.) NEW YORK, Jan 1. Interviewed by the New York Times correspondent at Chungking, the Chinese Foreign Minister, Wang Chung Hui, said: “Japan may get out of China in 1940 The Japanese are now at the end of the rope and the new year will see a serious weakening, militarily and economically.” He cited Japan's isolation, high price and inflation, adding that the sending of an Imperial Guards division to China indicated a shortage of trained manpower. “China is able to carry on as long as the Japanese aggression lasts,” lie said. “Unity is maintained and the military strength has been augmented. The strategic position is increasingly favourable." In the event of Japan getting out of China he envisaged a conference of all Powers interested in the Far East to work out an equitable settlement on the basis of the Nine-Power Treaty.

A Hong Kong message stales that after four months of occupation the Japanese yesterday completed their withdrawal from the Chinese territory bordering Hong Kong. The withdrawal was prompted, according to an official Japanese announcement, “out of friendliness towards Britain" The troops are believed to be strengthening the force pushing northward from Canton against the main Chinese body in Kwangtung. Capture of Nanning

The Chungking correspondent of the New York Times says that Japan's capture of Nanning, in the north Kwangtung offensive, made Chin n 's outlook lor 1940 more unfavourable than two months ago. Yet the nation confronts the new year with the widespread determination to continue the fight and with justifiable hopes of ultimate success.

"It is unlikely that any Japanese military operations could extinguish the Chungking regime, or force it to surrender while the leaders are resolved to continue,” continues the correspondent. “It is possible that the early stages of 1940 will see a change in the military situation auspicious for China continuing her attacks on Nanning and making the Japanese hold precarious. The recapture is r.ot impossible.

“The Kwangtung drive may end in the defeat of the Japanese if pushed too far. The Chinese believe that they have accumulated war supplies sufficient to last until 1941 whatever happens to the communications.” French-owned Railway Bombed Japanese planes bombed the French-owned I ndo-China-Yunnan railway during a raid on Mcngtze, 50 miles from the French border. The damage was not extensive. Mcngtze had been previously bombed, but the railway had not been attacked. The French are carrying out aerial patrols over the Indo-China border. The United States naval attache, Major J. M. McHugh, reports that a quarter of Lancnow has been wiped out in three successive days of raiding, during which 1100 bombs were dropped. The casualties totalled about 30 people. The Shanghai correspondent of the United Press of America states that lire Japanese captured the strategic town of Yingtak on the Can-ton-I-lankow railway as part of the co-ordinated campaign to crush the Chinese in Kwangtung and Kwangsi provinces. The British Ambassador, Sir Archibald Clark-Kerr, is en route to Chungking in a reported attempt to induce Marshal Chiang Kai-Shek to accept a compromise over the disposal ol Chinese silver stocks in Tientsin, one eighth going to flood relief fund's m north China and the remainder to be held neutrally until the end of the war.