CHINA AND JAPAN

Hawera & Normanby Star, Volume XLII, Issue XLII, 12 June 1923, Page 5

CHINA AND JAPAN

THE LATTER'S INCREASING CONTROL.

BY CABLE—PEE3B ASSOCIATION—COPY.EIGH7 Received June 12, 8.5 a.m. LONDON, June 11. [By arrangement with the Morning Post, Copyright to the Australian Press Association.] I China is divided, into three main j camps, carrying on a Government of j their own. They only fall in with the I wishes of the Pekin Government when 'it suits them. These three are roughly : (1) Manchuria and Northern Chihli; (2) Chih-li to the Yangtse Valley; {3) Southern China. The leaders of , these three military dictatorships do I not care much for the so-called Central Government. There axe also vast tracts of China which give no allegiance to these leaders, or, except nominally, to Pekin on the fringe of the administration, of the three. Leaders of hordes of disbanded or unpaid soldiers roam the country exacting a livelihood at the bayonet's point. As a.result of this lawlessness the better educated Chinese hare transferred their interests to the treaty ports, where, judging by the Customs returns, trade in spite of ' the anarchy outside is increasing by leaps and bounds. The Customs administration is practically the only stable form of Government in China. The railway development of foreign concessions has done much for internal trade. A study of this system will show how future penetration must take effect. Until the Washington Conference Japan had one large territorial finger in the commercial pie. By a magnificent gesture she there abrogated her rights and restored the territory to China herself. In Southern Manchuria, however, she has still, as. the result of' the Russo-Japanese war, control of the Dairen to Chang Chun railway. Her lease of the Manchurian railway was for 99 years, so for practical purposes she may be said to be in occupation of this sphere. She aims at permanent control of the great coal and iron fields of Hanyang, and is 1 exploiting Fukien by a railway to "be run from Foochow to Nanchang, where there is already a connecting link with Kiukiang and the Yangtse River. For many years the Yangtse Valley was practically a British sphere, but Japan now stands there on an equality with England and America. If she could consolidate her position there and obtai?i the lion's share of influence, and if, at the same time, her fortress or Formosa could effectually dominate the rich hinterland of Fukien, she would be well, on the way to control China's trade in the south-east and middle, as well as in the north-east by her remaining business interests in Shantung and in the north by the Manchurian railway*. With these four fingers stretching ever further into the interior, all that is profitable in China except Kwangtung and Yunnan would speedily fall into her grasp. With the Yangtse Valley assured to her European and American trade at Shanghai would have to fight hard for its position, and the amazing wealth of Szechuan could b© exploited in a way no white nation had ever been able to attempt. Now it must be apparent that with a stable solvent Government of China under one head, backed by all the great nations of the world on terms of equality. Japan would have no chance of securing, more than a proportionate share of the riches she can see awaiting her. It is therefore not entirely to Japan's advantage to wait for other "nations to support law and order in China. The Chinese themselves by no means are unfavourable to the, white races. They do not like the Japanese, but education and observation are gradually making the Chinese desirous of asserting China's place in the councils of nations. They ■ have an object lesson in Japan of an Asiatic race which has won for itself a position of equality^at the conference table, and even an alliance with England. Chinese opinion is confident oi [ its own power of absorptipn of al! ( races. She is not averse to the idea I of looking to Japan for assistance i against the trade dominion of the white t ones. Japan thus sees in the present ' shattered condition of Chinese politics an admirable opportunity for seizing t both the goose and the eggs. What must impress any traveller to-day who arrives in Mukden is Japan's complete' control of this area. She has practically captured all the trade of China! north of Shan Hai Kana to the Chin-: ese eastern railway at Chang Chung, j General Chang Tso Lin, the northern leader, is not necessarily willing to be a servant of Japanese^ policy, but he has doubtlessly unconsciously made use of Japan's assistance, and begins to find the incubus difficult to shake off.! He is in a very sorry position, since the Soviet forces have reached Vladivostook and may at any time try to force a shorter transit of the eastern railway, j when Chang Tso Lin will have to tackle them himself, with defeat spelling complete surrender to Japanese. aims in Mukden, or definitely call in • Japan's assistance, which would bind him to them for ever as a quid pro quo. Th© Japanese cannot be blamed for putting themselves in a position of security there. Their actions have been perfectly natural and straightforward, and that they are not economically in harmony with the future wishes of the western nations is not Japan's fault. If the Occidental nations do not take combined action in restoring China's i fallen fortunes, they are opening the door to Oriental action, which would be far more likely to achieve this result.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.