LEAVING CHINA

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 216, 10 August 1940, Page 7

LEAVING CHINA

BRITISH GARRISONS. NO LONGER NEEDED. .. (United Press Association —By Electric Telegraph.—Copyright.) Received August 10, 9.10 a.m. LONDON, Aug. 9. /The War Office states that the British troops stationed at Shanghai and in North China are withdrawing for service elsewhere. It is authoritatively stated that the troops affected number 1500, and their dispersal had been under the Government’s consideration since the outbreak of the war.

The original purpose of the forces was to protect British lives and property at Shanghai from Chinese violence, but this has lost its significance as a result of the SinoJapanese war. The Japanese and American Governments have been notified of the Withdrawal.

It is stated on reliable authority in Shanghai that Britain informed the United States at the end of June of her intention to withdraw the troops, but -refrained from asking the United States to patrol the British areas in order to avoid embarrassing the United States. The Japanese Embassy spokesman said there was “no special reaction” to the withdrawal of the British troops. He pointed out that Japan had requested on the outbreak of war that tli© troops of the belligerents lie withdrawn, since their presence might cause an untoward incident and involve Japan, thus affecting her noninvolvement policy. “We expect and - hope that other troops will also bo withdrawn,” he said.

The majority of the Italian forces in Shanghai 'have been withdrawn, leaving a very small garrison of marines. Most of the French troops sailed for Indo-China in December. At Tokio the Foreign Office announced that a member of the British Embassy visited General Nishio (Commander in China) and handed over the British Note concerning the withdrawal of the garrisons at Shanghai, Pekin, and Tientsin. Britain reserve? all rights under the Peking Protocol of September 7, 1901, until the said protocol he amended or abrogated by agreement between the Powers concerned. AMERICA’S POSITION. Tho Assistant-Secretary for State (Mr Sumner Welles) indicated that tho United States marines will remain at Shanghai, at least for the present. He said the British withdrawal had no effect whatever on the United States’s policies and position in tho Far East. Numerous details must be worked out by the local authorities at Shanghai, including whether the United States marines would take over the defence of the sector evacuated by the British. Mr Welles said lie doubted tlic accuracy of Shanghai reports that six hundred marines are en route to Shanghai from Honolulu. Asked whether the British withdrawal of troops from China would affect the United States’s FaY East policy, President Roosevelt replied that" lie had not the faintest idea, states a Washington message.

Following tho Boxer Rebellion tbe Powers with interests in China deemed a formal settlement necessary to exact reparations and to guard against recurrence of the outbreak. In September, 1901. a protocol was signed providing, inter alia, for an indemnity, for the policing of foreign quarters in Peking, and for (lie punishment of officials responsible for the rising.