WAR IN CHINA

Otago Daily Times, Issue 27080, 14 May 1949, Page 7

WAR IN CHINA

NATIONALIST GAINS TEN TOWNS RECAPTURED NEW COMMUNIST DRIVE REPORTED NZPA—Copyright Rec. 11.30 p.m. SHANGHAI, May 13. Chinese Communists were to-day reported moving towards .Sunkiang, the Government army headquarters 32 miles south of Shanghai, says the United Press correspondent. The Government's strongest defence line was at Kashan, 10 miles from the captured city of Kashing, but the Reds bypassed Kashan and headed towards Sunkiang. Meanwhile, the Central News Agency reports from Tsingao that Government troops had beaten off Red attempts to penetrate the area. The despatch claimed that the Nationalists recaptured 10 towns in the outlying districts, ensuring the security of the port, where the United States Western Pacific Fleet is lying. The Communist radio to-day claimed that the Chinese Communists now had a navy of more than 60 ships, mosl of which either deserted from the Nationalist .Navy or were captured when the Communist troops crossed the Yangtse. The broadcast said the vessels included two destroyers and two gunboats. Communist units were officially reported last night within striking distance of the key inner defence point of Sunkiang. only 20 miles south-west of Shanghai. Sunkiang is regarded by military observers as the last important defence prop along the Hangchow railway before Shanghai. Its loss would practically mean the end of the Shanghai

battle,' as the Communist forces fanning out from Sunkiang along several modern motor roads could, within a short time, lay siege to Shanghai and cut the retreat route of the Natidnalists still battling desperately to hold the Shanghai-Nanking railway city of Kunshan and the north-western defence pillar of Taichong. To-day’s communique said bitter fighting was raging north of Taichong in which the Communists were suffering heavy casualties. The Nationalist air force over the Shanghai area in the past 24 hours sank about 200 Communist craft ply ing between the north and the south banks of the Ybngtse.