TOKYO AWAITING OVERTURES

Southland Times, Issue 23378, 9 December 1937, Page 5

TOKYO AWAITING OVERTURES

DEMAND FOR CHINESE “CO-OPERATION” BRITISH INFLUENCE HINTED (United Press Assn.—Telegraph Copyright) (Received December 8, 10.40 p.m.) LONDON, December 8. The spokesman of the Japanese Foreign Office (Mr Tatsuo Kawai) “We are waiting to see what the Chinese do before we formulate peace plans. In the meantime the Chinese have displayed no signs of changing their anti-Japanese attitude. They must adopt a policy of complete cooperation with Japan before anything can be done. “We suppose that Britain or other Powers with interests in China may be making efforts to persuade the Chinese to approach us. We regard such efforts as friendly. We have denied specific knowledge of German or other such efforts hitherto.” The Tokyo correspondent of The Times says that Cabinet discussed the situation contingent on the fall of Nanking. It is hoped that a new Chinese Government, sufficiently imposing to justify recognition and disposed towards peace, may replace Marshal Chiang Kai-shek’s administration. The Domei news agency (Tokyo) expresses the opinion that Japan will probably break off diplomatic relations with China after the fall of Nanking, which will reduce Marshal Chiang Kai-shek’s Government to the status of a local administration.

The German Ambassador to Tokyo (Dr von Dircksen) after the German Minister to China (Dr Oskar Trautmann) had talked with Marshal Chiang Kaishek, conferred with the ‘Japanese Foreign Minister (Mr Koki Hirota), possibly about China’s peaceful surrender of Nanking. Marshal Chiang Kai-shek and Mr W. H. Donald, his Australian adviser, won a thrilling air race after taking off from Nanking at daybreak in a highspeed air liner. Japanese planes pursued them but were out-distanced. Marshal Chiang Kai-shek is believed to have gone ■> Nanchang.

SHANTUNG NEXT WAR AREA FRESH LINE~OF CHINESE FORTIFICATIONS LONDON, December 7. In Western China the Chinese are constructing a fresh line of fortifications on the right bank of the Yellow river, from Tung-kuan, on the Shansi border, to a point 60 miles within the Shantung border. A total of 250 miles is manned by 22 divisions. The Chinese have reoccupied Pingyao, 55 miles south south-west of Tai-yuan-fu. The Tokyo correspondent of The Daily Telegraph says that the Japanese newspapers give prominence to the situation in Shantung, where new defence lines are being created, and the opinion is expressed that this will soon be the scene of major operations. Japan hitherto has been anxious to avoid fighting here because she has millions invested in the Tsingtao cotton mills and other industries, which a conflict may destroy.