NORTH CHINA

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22864, 20 October 1937, Page 15

NORTH CHINA

BATTLES RAGING JAPANESE CLAIM i A 1000-MILE LINE 7 DEBACLE FOR CHINESE IMPORTANT CAPTURES By Telegraph—rress Association—Copyright (Received October 19. 10.35 p.m.) LONDON, Oct. 18 Despatches from Tokio state that the Domei Xews Agency reports that the Japanese forces in the Shansi province. North China, defeated the combined Chinese Government troops of the Bth Route Army. The fighting is being centred in the neighbourhood of Sinkowchen , and North Taiyuan. ]t is claimed that the success, with the occupation of Paotow and the subsequent capture of Paoho, which is a strategically important point, involves the debacle /of the Chinese in the northern operations. The Tokio ' correspondent of the Daily Telegraph says that with the occupation of Paotow, in the Suiyuan Province. Japan claims to have erected what is described as a 1000-mile long "anti - Communist wall," stretching from Manchukuo to Suiyuan and thence , to North Shansi and Hopei, almost to the sea. Inside lies the rich Shantung Province, which is reported to be arming to .the teeth against the Japanese. The telegraph's special correspondent at Shanghai reports that the significance of Paotow is that it governs the northern route between Russia and China and is the terminus of the Peking-Suiyuan railway. .Tt lies near the route connecting Siberia and Mongolia with China. By holding this region Japan reduces China's chances of receiving arms from Russia. This has been one. of the chief objectives of the Japanese offensive. According to reports from Nanking, j heary losses on both sides are reported from the battle area in North Taiyuan, ! where 50,000 Japanese were surrounded | by the Chinese, who attempted an anni- ; hilation drive before the arrival of Jap- j anese reinforcements. They claim the capture of 800 rifles, 100 machine-guns, 10 field guns and 30 tanks. Packets of cigarettes, food and ammunition descended on the Chinese lines from Japanese aeroplanes. The fliers apparently had mistaken the enemy lines for their own. Another message from Tokio admits that the Japanese in North Taiyuan are sorely ' pressed and suffering severely. Sleet is falling and the j troops are still wearing their summer j uniforms. SHANGHAI SECTOR / t —1 j JAPANESE AIR RAID FIERCE ATTACK WITH TANKS SHANGHAI, Oct. 18 Japanese airmen, in retaliation for Chinese raids, attempted to destroy the Chinese aerodrome at Hungjao to-day. The casualties included 30 civilians. A Japanese tank attack on Kechiapailou succeeded after the annihilation of a Chinese regiment of 1400 men, who | fought, until the last, the commander refusing to give the order to retire. The Chinese claim that this operation cost the Japanese 3000 casualties.

CHINESE REPORTS SHANGHAI HOSTILITIES JAPANESE HELD IN CHECK [BT TELEGRAPH —PRESS ASSOCIATION] WELLINGTON, Tuesday The Chinese Consul to-day received the following cablegram from Nanking: There was a desperate battle on the north bank of the entsaopang, but on the arrival of Chinese reinforcements the invaders were repulsed. Both sides suffered heavy losses. Fierce fighting occurred on the South Creek. The Chinese defenders are holding their position. At Kiangwan Japanese bombers and mechanised units were ineffective against a strong Chinese defence. There were all day skirmishes at Chapei, but the positions remain unchanged. .Repeated Japanese attempts to land reinforcements north-west of Lotien failed. Several Japanese warships were detached from their squadron and sailed down-stream. The Japanese .bombed the Soochow railway station, damaging the tracks .and empty waggons. They also bombed the Hashing station on the Shanghai•Hangchow line. Buildings were slightly damaged, but/ there were no casualties. WORLD TRADE SUFFERS effect of the conflict 7 , British Wireless RUGBY. Oct. 18 The effect the Far East crisis has had on world trade is revealed by the monthly statistics of the League of Nations' economic intelligence service, eavs a message, from Geneva. The gold value of world trade in August was 3 per cent less than the %ure for July. Not only did world imports decline considerably, but 'exports Were much le*>s.

PEACE CONDITIONS full rights for china NANKING. Oct. I* The (_hine.se spokesman states that Marsha! Chiang Kai-shek's minimum conditions, stated on July 19, could alone enable peace to be signed. J hese ■embodied the preservation of China s territorial and sovereign rights.

CANADA AND SANCTIONS OTTAWA. Oct. The League of Nations Union of Canada, comprising 36 participating organisations, has called a meeting for ember 6 to consider a demand for the imposition of sanctions against Japan.