China Fighting Spreads During Truce Talks

Northern Advocate, 4 January 1946, Page 3

China Fighting Spreads During Truce Talks

(Rec. 12.20.) CHUNGKING, Jan. 3. While senior Government and Communist delegates are meeting to seek a truce in China’s war, reports of fighting have increased.

The Government announced that Communists were advancing at several points in North China and were repulsed in an attempt to seize Tangshan airfield.

The message added that General Tu Wi-Ming, commander of the National forces in Manchuria, intended to inspect his troops’ position in Jehol province, where Communists avowedly were ready to resist an advance. A Communist despatch said that Reds had captured the coastal town of Foerh and had taken three nearby villages, killed 500 puppets and taken prisoner 500 Chinese. SERIOUS TURN IN JEHOL Communists, replying officially to the Central Government's proposals, welcomed General Marshall as mediator and asserted: "We will discuss favourably every suggestion regarding the immediate cessation of civil war and the establishment of unity and democracy.

“However, the presence of other just and impartial elements like the Democratic League is desirable.”. Subsequently, another official statement said that the situation in Jehol had taken a very serious turn with the Nationalist capture of Fusin and Chaoyang. .It added that the Kuomintang must immediately evacuate the forces from Jehol. NEW THREAT OF WAR

China is faced with a new threat of another civil war following the invasion by Central Government troops of the Manchurian province of Jehol.

It is stated that 200,000 troops ate taking part. One force of 50,000 is moving up the main railway from Peiping, and 150,000 are entering the province from the east —this in spite of the negotiations between Communist and Central Government leaders to reach an agree, ment.