PEACE MOVE

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXX, Issue 21494, 18 May 1933, Page 9

PEACE MOVE

CHINA AND JAPAN VIRTUAL AGREEMENT NANKING'S EMISSARIES DEPARTURE FOR NORTH HOSTILITIES MAY CEASE By Telegraph—Pres9 Association'—Copyright (Received Mbt* 17. 9.15 n.m.) SHANGHAI. May 17 With the departure from Nanking of emissaries to the north with proposals designed to stop the present hostilities in the Peking area it was announced to-day that the Chinese and Japanese have virtually agreed to terms for their cessation along lines similar to those which brought about the stoppage of the Chapei hostilities last year. The exact nature of the proposals has not been divulged. v SERIOUS WARFARE TWO TOWNS BOMBARDED MANY CHINESE FLEEING (Received May 17. 0.15 p.m.) SHANGHAI. May 17

Tangshan is being heavily bombarded by Japanese forces. Cement works and a cotton mill have been severely damaged. Mivun is also being bombed. This city was swept by machine-gun fire with heavy casualties. The Chinese are making preparations to evacuate Tangshan.

In view of the largo numbers of Chinese who are ileeing from Tangshan and looting en route, Japanese sources report that the British manager of the Tangshan mines has decided to suspend operations.

The Japanese Legation has issued a statement that should the Chinese discontinue their provocative acts, the Japanese will quickly return to the Great Wall to resume their regular work of maintaining peace in Mauchukuo. " Unless tho Chinese Army alters its attitude counter attacks will be kept up," it states.

* Later reports state that the Chinese troops under General Ho Chu-kuo commenced evacuating Tangshan on Monday night. The Japanese troops are said to have left Kaiping en route for Tangshan.

Chinese forces are being concentrated at Lutai, 30 miles to the west of Tangshan.

The foreign. concessions in Tientsin are receiving a huge influx of Chinese refugees. The exodus of Chinese from Poking now is reaching 3000 a day. A Japanese message from Harbin. Manchuria, states that the Chinese and Mongol troops at Kalgan, within the province of Chahar, have declared their allegiance to Manchukuo, whose officials have left to take control.