COMMUNISM IN CHINA

Grey River Argus, 3 May 1938, Page 7

COMMUNISM IN CHINA

A CONTROVERSY Chinese and Japanese Consuls in N.Z. I Per Press Association.] WELLINGTON, May 2. , An interview with the new Japanese Consul-General, Mr Kuchi Gunjj last week, has drawn a reply from the Chinese Consul, Mr Feng Wang. , China’s policj', he says, rests firmly on a foundation of three people’s principles enunciated by the late Dr. Sun Yat Sen. During the last decade, supreme efforts have been made bv 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 s»d 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 Bolshevising 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 tinder the guidance of Generalissimo Chiang Kaishek, to resist foreign aggression, and to realise Sun Yat Sen’s lofty ideals. The facts cannot be by propaganda, however cleverly contrived. It cannot be 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.

The growing menace of Communism in the Far East was the real issue in the Chinese war, the Nanking Government was dominated by Russian influence, and the threat to Japan had reached a stage where forbearance was no longer possible, declared Mr Kuchi Gunji, who arrived last week to take up his duties as the first Consul-General for Japan in New Zealand

China’s policy had always been to invoke the sympathy of the Powers whenever difficulties arose, said Mr /Gunji, and in the present conflict people abroad were being misled by insidious propaganda into regarding Japan as being guilty of unwarranted aggression.

“It is quite natural that sympathy should go to the weaker nation in a case such as this,” he said. "We do not ask the outside’ world to favour Japan against China itself, but we do ask that if you listen to the Chinese assertions you should also listen to our side.”

China was far from being the united country the outside world was led to believe, Mr Gunji continued. That had been the position for innumerable years, and Japan, in her relations with China, had always found it almost impossible to get any satisfaction. For 20 years Japan had hpen striving for co-operation with her neighbour, but without the slightest success. The Nanking Government's policy had consistently been antiJapanese, and matters had reached a stage where Japan had no alternative but to take action in her own Interests in foreign countries. It was ironical that in 1927 a boycott of British goods in China reached serious dimensions, yet to-day China was appealing to Britain for assistance. The Chinese national sentiment was wholly antiforeign, but changed in its application according to circumstances. "Communism is behind every Chinese move, and has been for a number of years,” said Mr Gunji. “The Nanking Government is dominated by Moscow, and if China becomes wholly Red a grave menace to British and American' interests in and round the Pacific will immediately arise. For her own sake, Britain should co-oper-ate with Japan to combat Communism in the Far East. Russia is Japan’s enemy, and must remain so.” The most convenient country for the spreading of Russian ideas was China, where the z internal strife of| past years had enabled Russian influence to gain ground. Britain had failed to appreciate the menace to her interests in the East if Communism took over the reins in China, but it now appeared that her statesmen were awakening to the danger. Japan had no territorial ambitions in China, he said. Her foreign aspirations were purely economic, In order to allow of the development of her industries at a rate which would enable her growing population to live. She had few natural resources, and her population was increasing by nearly 1,000,000 every year. Immigration restrictions in other countries forced her to aim at the fullest possible development of industries, and build export trade which would bring in return the raw materials necessary for her to live. Mr Gunji referred to the attitude of waterside workers in Australia and New Zealand in refusing to load scrap metal for Japan, and remarked that it was interesting to note that at Hong Kong Chinese coolies had willingly loaded a Japanese steamer with scrap metal, after the same vessel had come almost empty from Australia and New Zealand ports. That was an ilustration of the feeling of a great part of the Chinese people towards Japan. It was noteworthy, also that in parts of China involved in the present conflict the people worked without resistance under Japanese control.

“The Japanese are not skilled propagandists. They have been taught not to lie,” said Mr Gunji. “Throughout Japan there is intense loyalty to the authorities. It has been asserted many times that the army has forced the Government into the present trouble, but that is untrue. Japan has never been more united.” He explained that he had come to New Zealand with the aims of fostering trade and establishing better