JAPANESE AIMS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume 57, Issue 249, 2 August 1937, Page 5

JAPANESE AIMS

MILITARY PARTY IN CONTROL.

CORRIDOR TO SOVIET FRONTIER.

ESTABLISHMENT OF A BASE

i United Press Association—Copyright 3

(Received This Day, 1.15 p.m.) LONDON, August 1

The Shanghai correspondent of “The Times” says that the Japanese military party has assumed full control of the political situation. Irrespective of the peaceful aims toward China favoured by industrial and financial interests, the militarists desire to create a' corridor in North China to develop production sufficiently to support a military establishment close to the Russian frontier. They believe that the Soviet Army, owing to the purge, is at present incapable of external violence'. The militarists also plan further extension southwards into China, which realises that if Japan is not opposed, a great section of North China mil be irrecoverably, lost. China’s military organisation, though improved, cannot match Japan’s. Thus Nanking favours peace until military effectiveness is increased, but national sentiment demands war.

The situation in the Peiping and Tientsin areas is quite apart from sporadic bombing and shelling in districts where isolated bands of Chinese are maintaining guerilla warfare.

MASSING OF CHINESE TROOPS.

(Received This Day, 9.50 a.m.) TOKIO, August 1

A large body of Chinese Central Government troops, belonging to the 30th, 31st, and 33rd divisions, under General Sun Lien Chung, is massing in Chochow and Tienkhsing, north of Pao Ting Fu, where it is co-operating with the 29th Army and firing on Japanese scouting ’planes.