REVOLUTION IN CHINA

Taranaki Daily News, 15 June 1927, Page 7

REVOLUTION IN CHINA

ADVANCE OF NATIONALISTS NORTH AND SOUTH CONFER THE SITUATION DOUBTFUL (British Official Wireless.) Rugby, June 12. Reviewing the military situation in China, Mr. Locker-Lampson, Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs, said:— “The latest reports show that the Northern forces, about 180,000 strong, are holding a line from Lin Cheng, 'in the Tientsin-Pukow line, thence to the bend of the Yellow River, north-east of Kai Feng, continuing along the northern bank of the Y’ellow River to the north-west of Cbangehow’, with a defensive west flank on the Peking-Hankow railway. “The Southerners are in touch with the Northerners in most places and are teorganising their forces on the Lung Hai line for a further advance. The strength of their combined armies is roughly 130,000. The Fengtien troops are receiving reinforcements front Manchuria and appear to be in good moral. The Shantung troops are deserting plentifully to the enemy, and the TientsinPukow line remains a weak spot. 'The defence of Shantung now rests on a few hundred Russians who are concentrated an the Southern border. “The Nationalists are advancing slowly from the south, but a more rapid advance is reported from the west, converging on Yenehow. At the same tune it is reported that negotiations are going on between North and South, but the position in this respect is doubtful. “Sun-Chuan-Fang’s troops are ren.'.t<d to be retreating towards the Shantung border. Yen-Hsi-Shan, Military Governor of Shansi, has declared his allegiance to the Nationalists. “No great change has taken place as regards the military situation around Hankow. Kiukiang has been occupied by troops owing allegiance to Chiang-Kai-Shek, and his forces have now advanced above that town.” Twelve hundred United States marines from the Philippines, with an aviation unit, tanks and artillery, arrived to fill the gap caused by the departure of the Sixth Regiment for Peking.