SOVIET-CHINESE TREATY

Grey River Argus, 25 August 1945, Page 5

SOVIET-CHINESE TREATY

Manchurian Division (Rec. 10.0) LONDON, Aug. 24. A diplomatic correspondent of “The Times”' stated: Although terms of the Chinese-Russian .Treaty signed in. Moscow on August 14 are supposed to be secret until they are ratified by the two Governments, some of the terms are becoming known. It provides that Chinese sovereignty over Manchuria and Inner Mongolia is to be established. It is provided that the Chinese Eastern railway and South Manchuria railway are to operate as a single system, but under joint Chinese-Russian control for a specified number’ of years. Pprt Arthur itself is also to be jointly used by Russia and China, while a special regime is prescribed for the port of Dairen. The correspondent further stated: In the Chungking-Yenan dispute, the treaty comes down unequivocally on the side of Chungking, which is recognised as the Central Government, whose authority and administration must be respected. The correspondent added: The treaty generally appears to establish a far firmer basis for stability in East Asia than seemed possible even a few months ago. Red Army TAKES PORT ARTHUR AND DAIREN. LONDON, August 22. The Russians announce that they have occupied Port Arthur and the nearby port of Dairen. Japanese garrisons at Fort Arthur and Darien were disarmed after unopposed Russian air-borne landings. A Soviet communique stated:—“The Red Army on Tuesday took 71,000 Japanese prisoners, including 20 generals. Russian air-borne troops have landed at Port Arthur and Dairen and begun disarming the garrisons. The Red Army south of Kamchatka,landed on Shimushu Island, the most northerly island in the Kurile group, Where the Japanese are laying down their arms. The Red Army yesterday took 35,000 Japanese prisoners, including 15 generals. Troops of the Transbaikal Command in South Manchuria entered Port Arthur’ and linked up with air-borne troops. Our troops at Mukden aerodrome captured and interned Emperor Kangteh, the Jap-anese-sponsored ruler of the puppet State of Manchuria, and his suite. “Red Army troops have secured Shumushu, the most northerly of the Kurile Islands.”

Huge supply dumps have fallen into Russian hands in Manchuria, says Reuter’s Moscow correspondent. It appears that the Japanese had stores for millions of soldiers for 10 years. The Soviet Military Government is restoring order and receiving the wholehearted assistance of Chinese who are streaming back to their homes from the hills and forests. Most of the Japanese commanders are thoroughly tame, complying with all Russian demands. Generalissimo Stalin, in an order of the day. addressed to the Commander in the Far East, Marshal Vassilievsky, said: Since the opening of the offensive in Manchuria, Red Army forces have advanced distances ranging from 310 to 560 miles. They now occupy the whole of Manchuria, besides the entire South Sakhalin (which the Japanese name Karafuto and also the islands of Shumushu and Papamushi, in the Kurile chain of islands. The Japanese Kwantung Army has ceased resisting. Twenty-four salvoes from 324 guns are saluting the feat in Moscow. The order concluded with the words: Let the victorious Red Army and Red Fleet live’and prosper; Agency correspondents in Moscow report that Japanese soldiers are still coming in in thousands. The Red Army is pushing on into the southern areas of Sakhalin and driving southward from the captured ports of Korea. The surrender situation was further complicated to-day with the announcement that Generals Chang Chichung and Hsiung Shijhui, both high officials in Chiang’s councils, have been appointed to accept the Japanese surrender in Manchuria. No explanation is given as to how this W'ould be affected, while J'apanese armies in Manchuria are surrendering piecemeal to the Russians. Moscow “Izvestia”, commenting on Japan’s surrender, demands punishment of Japanese , war criminals. It stated: Japanese leaders have not yet understood the lesson of their crushing defeat. The new Japanese Government is not making any. radical changes. Japan is capitulating, but is clearly, carrying out the capitulation at a slowed down tempo.

“ALL-OUT OFFENSIVE” BY CHINESE COMMUNISTS'. CHUNGKING, August 23. The Communist paper “New China Daily News” declared that Communist forces in north and central China had “gathered strength for an allout offensive”, and were marching on key cities. It added that Tsingtao was surrounded, street fighting was going on at Tientsin, and Wuju had been entered. Other Communists were approaching Wanping and Nanyuan. SURRENDER IN CHINA. CHUNGKING. August 23. A Japanese battle order, delivered to the Chinese and Japanese envoys at preliminary negotiations at Chihkiang. disclosed that more than 1,000,000 enemy troops will surrender to Yingching. It is estimated that there are about 2,000,000 J'apanese. troops on the Asiatic mainland. General Wedemeyer has ordered United States forces in China not to fraternise with the Japanese. He added that all contacts must be official, courteous, impersonal and firm. JAPANESE PROTESTS. AGAINST COMMUNISTS AND RUSSIANS. (Rec. 9.5). NEW YORK, August 23. The Osaka radio says: Chinese Communists, Chinese Government troops, and Russian troops are all making unlawful attacks on Japanese troops on the Asiatic mainland. “Communists have so far committed seventy out of seventy-nine unlawful acts. At present Communists are moving southwards rapidly, fney are attempting to expand their footholds on the southern bank of the Yangtse River before Chinese Government troops can arrive. “The Russians in outer Mongolia ignore our attempts to surrender. The Russians continue on the offensive, as previously, in their efforts to reach Peking and Tientsin. SINGAPORE. LONDON, August 23. Major units of the British East Indies Fleet are awaiting orders to steam down. Malacca Strait, and occupy the gredt naval base oi bmganore, besides various points in the Malay Peninsula and other Japaneseheld territory, reports Reuters Colombo correspondent. Before tne British Fleet can safely negotiate Malacca Strait, minesweepers • will clear the 700 mile long channel leading to Singapore.