WATCH ON FAR EAST

Manawatu Standard, Volume LXI, Issue 141, 16 May 1941, Page 5

WATCH ON FAR EAST

BRITAIN'S POLICY. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, May 14. The British Government's attitude to Japanese interference with British | interests in China and its relations •with the regime of General Chiang Kai-shek were the subject of stateI nients mackj in the House of Commons. Answering a question regarding Japanese discrimination against Brit- . ish interests in China, the Foreign Secretary (Mr Eden), after recalling the unsatisfactory outcome of representations addressed to Japan, added that he had instructed the British Ambassador in Tokio (Sir Robert Craigie) !to reply to Japanese complaints of : economic restrictions in British territories by saying that, while Britain's | main object was to conserve supplies for her war effort and prevent these [supplies' from reaching her, enemies, she was naturally influenced in decid- | ing her economic policy by Japan's attitude toward her interests in China. Answering a question regarding relations between the British Government and the National Government of China at Chungking, the Foreign Un-der-Secretary (Mr Butler) said: "Relations between the two Governments remain, I am happy to say, on terms of closest cordiality and co-operation. The British Government has done what it could in the past a.nd will continue to do what it can in the future to help China, maintain her in- I dependence. COLLABORATION WITH AXIS. LONDON, May Jo. The Japanese Foreign Minister (Mr Matsuoka) in a speech in Tokio yesterday, said the European war threatened to spread all over the world. It was I the aim of Japan to collaborate moro closely with Germany, Italy and the Soviet Union, to the common benefit j of those nations and japan. FIERCE BATTLE IN PROGRESS. SHANGHAI, May 15. Fierce fighting is reported to be in progress in several parts of China. According to the Doinei News Agency the Japanese iorces in Shansi annihilated the Chinese seventh, twelfth, and 34th divisions in- the course of an encircling movement which trapped 100,000 Chinese. . A Chungking communique admits: that the Japanese in the Kwangtung' province recaptured Tungkiang. a river town near AVaichow. Other Japanese are reported to have entered Fasyuen, the first major town north of "Canton, but were driven out quickly. There has been severe fighting in the past three days in the vicinity of Chukien, Chikiang, Central Hupeh, and Southern ■ Shansi. communists" turn TREACHERY IN CHINA. (Rcc. 9.50 a.m.) SHANGHAI. May 15. The Domei News Agency's correspondent at the Honan front says that in the culmination of a long enmity, Chinese Communist troops suddenly attacked the Chungking Central Fortieth Army in the vicinity of Linhsien. ! on the Ho.nan-Shansi border. He said ; the fighting, at present -was very j bitter. • ,