CHINA’S DEMANDS

Taranaki Daily News, 11 June 1921, Page 5

CHINA’S DEMANDS

differences with japan. ATTITUDE TOWARDS BRITAIN. INVOLVED IN ALLIANCE RENEWAL. By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright Received June 10, 10.45 p.m. London, June 9. Interviewed by the Morning Post,! rfr. Lennox Simpson, political adviser ;o China, emphasised the point that if »he Anglo-Japanese alliance is renewed vithout a settlement of the questions nitstanding between China and Japan, t must mean that Britain is willing to iacrifiee China in order to insure her position in the Pacific. China realises that Britain was in a tight comer in 1917, when she was forced to acquiesce in a secret treaty concerning Shantung, but now she can do as she pleases in the Far East. Indifference to the Chinese viewpoint, however, may have serious consequences. China believes that the Anglo-Japanese agreement, regarded as an instrument for the protection of Australia, is ridiculous, because the alliance can last only a few years. If Japan really has designs on Australia the latter cannot, five or ten years hence, be in a position to defend herself, but no one in China believes Japan contemplates an invasion on Australia, and if she started a career of conquest her first objective would be the chain of the islands of Borneo, Sumatra, and Java. The difficulty in connection wrth Shantung can be settled before July 13 if Britain brings China and Japan together in London, assisting them to discover a basis for an understanding. Shantung is to China what Alsace was to France. Mr. Simpson said that during his recent visit to the United States he found that while no American statesman says the renewal of the An-glo-Jftpanese alliance would be an unfriendly act, all think so. Mr. Simpson is convinced that the Canadian Premier will refuse to agree to anything harmful to British-American relations.

A very strong anti-British feeling is manifesting itself in China, and is only kept in check by the authorities* exhortations to the "people to suppress demonstrations of hostility, unless they are really provoked. Referring to comment made in Australia on alleged statements by him about the renewal of the Anglo-Japan-ese treaty, Mr. W. M. Hughes (Federal Premier),' says the criticism is based on something he did not say. He made no statement to the Press on the matter in England.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.