RED PLANS FOR FUKIEN

Chronicle (Levin), 10 May 1949, Page 5

RED PLANS FOR FUKIEN

(N.Z.P.A.

—Reuter,

Invasion Reported To Be Imminent

Copyriffbt)

Received Tuesday, 11.5 a.m. SHANGHAI, May 9. The imminent Communist invasion of Fukien Province and the: infiltration of a/"small detaehment ' of Communisfc forces into the region north of Kating, about 15 miles north-west of Shanghai, were the. .najor war developments indicated in the official Chinese war bulletin today. • ■ The communique claimed that the Communist threat to Tsingtao the base of the United States West Pacific Fleet in North-east Shantung, had been crushed by the routing of the Communist attackers at Tsimo, north of Tsingtao, after a four-day battle during which 8000 Communists were killed. Lacking details, -military observers are unable to _ assess the seji'ousness of Communist infiltraAon into Kating. They said, hcw-> ever, that the city was vital for the effective defence of Shanghai. Besides lying about 12 miles southiast of Taichong, the northernmost jrop of Shanghai's outer defence area, it is located only ten miles "west of the mouth of Shanghai s larbour, Woosung, the loss of which would enable the Commun,sts to close the Vtnangpoo River to iii shipping. Communist military activities in 'he ouner sectors of the Shanghai front have slackened considerab.y in the past 24 hours. On the Kiangei front Communist forces are nearing the Fukien border. They are today attacking Yuanshan about ten miles from the Fukien border. The United Press' Tokio correspondent quotes reliable' British quarters as saying that.,, they are convinced the Chinese Communists would attack Hong Kong. One source said that it was not a quesFon of if Hong Konp- will be attacked but of when.