Manawatu Evening Standard. WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 1937 TROUBLE IN NORTH CHINA

Manawatu Standard, Volume LVII, Issue 203, 28 July 1937, Page 8

Manawatu Evening Standard. WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 1937 TROUBLE IN NORTH CHINA

Although it appeared that the trouble in North China, was being settled without a serious rupture between Japan and China, incidents in the last few days indicate that feeling between the two forces around Pekin is still at danger point. Little more than a week ago negotiations between Tokio and Nanking were broken off and a final warning was given to the Chinese to withdraw their troops. This appeared to have had an immediate effect upon the latter, for Japanese headquarters at Tientsin announced that General Chang Tze-chung, the leader of the 29th Army, had agreed to fulfil the terms of the truce of July 11, arranged immediately after the first clash of arms, if the Nanking Government approved. This truce asked for an apology from the Commander of the 29th Army; that the officer responsible for the first “incident” would be punished; the prevention of a similar occurrence ; the withdrawal of the Chinese Army from Lioukouchao and Lungwangtung, and the suppression of anti-Japanese organisations. Since then the. Chinese have been charged with insincerity, the mobilisation of forces around Pekin, and with no real desire for peace. It is of importance to note that the Japanese Army in North China is acting mostly on its own account in_ taking measures against the Chinese places which have been bombarded, pursuing its policy of maintaining as far as it possibly can independence of the Government at Tokio. These several incidents have now been followed by another and more serious one in which fighting has taken place at Langfang and Pekin has been entered; elsewhere the tension is so serious that operations on a larger scale may take place at any time unless the Chinese wholly carry out the Japanese demands.

There is no doubt that Japan is seriously concerned over the stiffening of Chinese resistance to her encroachment in the north, and is intent upon establishing an autonomous area independent of Nanking. The present strife is said to have an important connection with the arrest of General Chian g Kai-sliek by Chang Ilsueli-liang and Yang Hu-cben when- the Generalissimo was on a visit to Sian last December. Dor a fortnight his life was in grave danger, but a bargain was struck with his captors and Nanking’s Dictator was allowed to go free. The terms for the release, according to Japanese accounts, gave an undertaking to support the anti-Japanese movement of the north-west, to pay a large sum to the rebel forces there, and to deliver to the Red armies certain arms, ammunition, equipment,

and areoplanes, and to continue to pay the Reds a monthly sum. Later, the Kuomintang issued a manifesto refusing to recognise any infringement of China’s territorial rights, and asserting that Sino-Japanese relations could not be adjusted unless the Hopei and Chahar autonomous administrations were removed. The Japanese assert that the 29th Army leaders in Pekin resolved, after learning the Kuomintang decision, that friction with Japan must be minimised while efforts were being made to consolidate Nanking’s control in the north. The Chinese Red army, of the north-west is reported to number 300,000 and to dominate Nanking’s northern policy, and Japan has apparently set her face against anti-Japanese movements fostered by Red propaganda. It would seem that Nanking is now determined that Japanese demands in North China will be resisted—part of the price apparently for Chiang Kai-shek’s release—hence the unstable situation around Pekin which the Japanese have entered. Nanking’s policy has been to build a strong China, uniting all sections to withstand pressure from Japan and able to share in the control of Eastern Asia. Japan, aware of this, may be forcing the issue to keep the northern provinces from the new China Chiang has set himself to build. Hopes of peace do not seem to grow in strength.