CHINA FIGHTS WHILE MOSCOW LOOKS ON

Chronicle (Levin), 11 March 1947, Page 8

CHINA FIGHTS WHILE MOSCOW LOOKS ON

Received Alonday, 7.45 p.m. NANKING, March 9. Nationalist newspapers claim that a concentrated Comniunist ofl'ensive aimed at Tsingtao, has been checked at Kiaohsien, 45 miles nortliwest of i'singtao. Botli sides are reported to be preparing for a major battle in the ea^t and central Shantuug province. The National generai, Tui Li Ming, broadcasting to JNIanchuria, declared that tlie Government ivould concentrate its power in continued attacks on tlie Cliinese Comniunist army and would "recover the whole of Manchuria". Generai Tui, who commands the National forces in the north, promised to streugthen the defences of Changcliuu and Kirin, two Government cilies tlireateued by Comniunist oil'ensives. The Peicing eorrespondent of tlie New Yorlc Times say Cliinese Commuiiists are at present believed eager to strike heavy blows against tlie Kuomintang iit an ell'ort to strengthen the bargaiiiing power of tlie totalitarian bloc to the Moscow eonference should the question of China lie taken up there. The eorrespondent savs Northern Manchuria, which has a coinmon border with Soviet i Siberia over 2000 miles long, is at present held by the Commuiiists but the Nationalist s effectively control more than two-iifths of Manchuria, mainly in the south and central parts. If the Nationalists were to break th rough to Ihe Siberian frontier or, conversely, if tlie Ctmimunists were to drive south and seiv.e Changchuiq Mukden and other eities, it would have a direc't bearing on the present deiicate relationship between the Kuomintang and Soviet Government. Fven the Comniunist attacks in Ihe Shantung province are believed to be spurred by international ratlief than internal political considerations. It is increasingly felt that the civil war will intensify as both sides feel they have the eyes of the Moscow eonference fixecl on them.