CHINA PROTESTS.

Star (Christchurch), Volume LXVI, Issue 20290, 27 April 1934, Page 1

CHINA PROTESTS.

OBJECTS TO JAPANESE INTERFERENCE. Nanking’s Declaration. MINISTER CALLS ON TOKIO AUTHORITIES. United Press Assn.—By Electric ! Telegraph—Copyright. (Received April 27, 10.30 am.) TOKIO. April 26. The Chinese Minister, General Tsiang, visited Mr Hirota to obtain a correct version of Japan’s policy in China, and also delivered a declaration from the Nanking Government repudiating Japan’s right to interfere with China’s sovereign rights and international intercourse. It is understood that Mr Hirota replied avoiding confirmation of the spokesman’s statement, but affirming the policy that Japan desires the unification and prosperity of China. Britain Wants Peace in Far East. British Official Wireless. (Received April 27, 12.30 p.m.) RUGBY, April 26. Replying on behalf of Sir John Simon to further Parliamentary questions regarding Japanese policy, Captain Anthony Eden repeated the statement that none of the dangers to peace in the Far East, to which the Japanese spokesman referred, were to be apprehended from any policy of the British Government, which aimed at avoiding them. Captain Eden added that he had received no official confirmation of the Press statements regarding the proposals of Japan to claim naval equality on the expiry of the Treaty of London and to double her air force.

Russian Opinion of Japan’s Latest Move.

MOSCOW, April 25. | The Soviet Government sees in Japan’s warning to the Powers regarding China a sharpening of the tension j in Americo-Japanese and Russo-Japa- j nese relations. It is also regarded as ! further evidence of the dominance of the Japanese military clique. The reasons ascribed for the issue of the warning are an attempt to break up China’s negotiations with international bankers at Nanking, which the Japanese militarists regard as part of j the American and European attempt to resist Tokio’s pan-Asiatic policy, and also a Japanese endeavour to force Nanking to cease its negotiations with America regarding aviation construction. DRIFTING TOWARDS WAR. i LONDON, April 26. ] "That we are drifting towards war is the considered view of the National Joint Labour Council which is urgently appealing to the Government to avert another world calamity,” says the “News Chronicle.” The statement follows a discussion by the Labour Party and various kindred bodies. It describes the international situation as dailv becoming more critical and urges the Government to endeavour to bring Russia and America into closer association with the League of Nations in order to devise a pact to prevent aggression.