CHINA & JAPAN

Hokitika Guardian, 13 August 1937, Page 5

CHINA & JAPAN

TRUCE COMMITTEE

TO HEAR JAP. ALLEGATION. (United Press Association—By Electri« Telegraph—Copyright) ■ i '’.('Received.this day at 1.30 p.m.) •SHANGHAI, August 12. A Japanese authorisation truce committee consisting of the Japanese consill, general of military attache of the Chinese, the Mayor of Shanghai and consuls-general of Britain, United States and France has been summoned to meet. They will be asked to consider the Japanese allegation that the Chinese violated the Shanghai Truce Agreement of 1932 u by Britain, and the regulation of troops within the demilitarised zone, extending twelve miles from Shanghai. The foreign volume has mobilised to protect foreign “interests and border barricades.” JAPANESE DEMAND. REJECTED BY CHINESE. 1 LONDON, August 11. Tlie Japanese Admiral demands that all Chinese troops be withdrawn to 30 miles from Shanghai, and all defence's within the’ area dismantled, otherwise the city will be bombarded. The British United Press correspondent, at Shanghai says:' China rejected the Japanese demand that Chinese withdraw forces from Shanghai. A Foreign Office official at Nanking said that if the Japanese start trouble, the Chinese will reply.

NANKOW ATTACKED,

THE TOWN ABLAZE. SHANGHAI. August 11. A Japanese offensive against Nankow is expected to open shortly. Thousands of troops and enormous convoys of war material are proceeding thithe;r. A dispatch received from Tokio regarding the .fighting between the Japanese and the Central Government troops states that Nankow is ablaze. The British United Press Pekin correspondent, in a message before the lighting, states: Thousands of Japanese troops and enormous convoys of war material, tanks, artillery, and machine guns left Pekin for Changping, near Nankow, where the Chinese are entrenched. The movements occurred in heat so intense that some Japanese were driven mad. ; Another source states that the Japanese on attacking Nankow, niet a strong resistance, to which they replied with a. bombardment of high explosive incendiary shells, as a, result of which, the town was set on fire. The Japanese advanced on it and occupied positions in the immediate vicinity.

PEKIN ISOLATED. LONDON, August 12. A joint cablegram from correspondents states Pekin is still telegraphically and telephonically isolated. Mails are chaotic. Chinese continue to flee from the city. LEGATION THREATENED. PEKIN, August 11. Anglo-American and Franco-Italian and Japanese Embassy Guards sent a contingent to patrol the Soviet Legation, which is threatened by the White Russians. Tientsin reports state that the Japanese , have no'tiflcd the -authorities that they are taking over the telegraph and wireless installations in the .British and French concessions. JAPANESE OFFICERS. LONDON, August 11. The Japanese Embassy at London states that the body of Ohyama. had eighteen bullet wounds, and sword gashes, and he had also been clubbed. The skull (was smashed. Saito was shot dead in the hack of the head, and lie was clubbed, Rayonetted, and 'robbed.

TENSION INCREASES. HOSTILITIES IN EV IT ABLE. (Received this day at 3 p.m.) LONDON, August 12. The outbreak of hostilities on a war scale is inevitable, declared the official of the Japanese embassy in London. A few hours later a message was received in London from Nanking, which gave a statement from the Chinese Foreign Office. “China has no alternative but to act in self-defence and resist aggression. The responsibility for future developments rests entirely with Japan.’

Shanghai expects the Japanese next, step following the refusal to withdraw ] troops will be an ultimatum followed, in the event of repeated refusals, by bombardment from warships or an aii attach. The Japanese Cabinet is holding an emergency jneeting to-morrow morning. The Domei Agency reports that Chinese are converging on the Japanese section, Shanghai, and fighting is inevitable. Shanghai reports a dramatic development at the meeting of the international Truce Commission when Chinese representatives said they could not guarantee inviolability of the International Settlement. Chiang Kai Shch’s eighty-eighth division stationed along the Shanghai and Nanking railways is moving towards Shanghai The Chinese blocked the lower Yaugtsi

river with obsolete ships and removed navigation marks with the object of preventing Japanese naval movements. Five more Japanese destroyers and transports with thousands of troops have arrived 'J lie Japanese now occupy Nankow Chinese fled to the hills from which they will he difficult to dislodge.