CHINA’S MOVE.

Waikato Times, Volume 106, Issue 17803, 30 August 1929, Page 11

CHINA’S MOVE.

STEP IN POLICY. AIMS TOLD AT AMSTERDAM. (From a Correspondent.) PARIS, July 20. European business men, whose commercial interests in the Far East make the present threat of war between the Soviet Republics and China a matter of deep concern to them, are convinced that the aggressive attitude of the Chinese Government is due to its desire to be master of its own house. Information received by industrial quarters in Paris and other European cities goes to prove that, given a favourable opportunity, China is prepared to run matters with a determined hand.

For French business houses a war between the two nations would prove very costly, since practically all this country’s commerce with the Far East goes overland via the Trans-Siberian Railway. The line is already cut at its eastern terminus and French and other Continental shippers who have been depending on this means of communication will soon be forced to begin sending their goods by the slower sea routes. Gave Warning at Amsterdam. European business men had a clear warning of the new attitude of China when they met a strong delegation of Chinese industrial leaders at the recent Amsterdam congress of the International Chamber of Commerce. They, of course, did not suspect the new policy would lead China into a crisis. with her Russian neighbour, but the governor of the Bank of China and others did make it quite clear that China was out to remove all restrictions which in any way placed in question her position as a free and independent nation. President Chiang Kai-shek is understood to have given instructions to the Chinese business delegation before it left for Amsterdam. All unequal treaties, the President is said to have informed the delegates, were to be abolished by means of “thoughtful and reasonable procedure" and extraterritoriality was to go as well. Business men here recall that throughout the three days of discussion of Chinese affairs at Amsterdam the Chinese continually accentuated China’s determination to be treated on equality with any other important Power. For eighty years, they said, they had received group ' treatment from the foreign Powers and they had decided they did not want any more of it. French Advocate Arbitration. The Chinese further explained that in future their country would work to achieve that much-desired independence, and that, while it might take a number of years to realise their ambitions, the Chinese people would never rest until the goal had been reached. Recalling this position, therefore, French business men see in the present Sino-Russian difficulties a logical, if not somewhat dangerous, step in the programme which the Chinese announced at Amsterdam. While there is much sympathy with the Chinese aims in French and other European business circles, it Is the impression that the methods which China is using to gain control of the Chinese Eastern Railway cannot but prove unfortunate in the end. Business interests, familiar with the history of the Eastern Railway dispute, say China has many causes for complaint, and that Russia has failed to carry out her part of the agreement of September, 1924. Despite all this, however, it is the conviction of French business men that recourse should have been had to arbitration instead of carrying the two nations to the verge of hostilities by the seizure of property still in dispute.