FORCES CLASH

Dominion, Volume 28, Issue 103, 25 January 1935, Page 11

FORCES CLASH

Japanese Onslaught on Chinese Troops ✓ BORDER DISPUTE Merciless Bombardment By Artillery ATTACK CAUSES SURPRISE By Telegraph.—Press Assn. —Copyright. Peking, January 23. In view of the announcement two clays ago that the Jehol-Charhar border dispute had been settled, great surprise has been caused here by the receipt of Chinese official dispatches from Kalgan, reporting that a combined Japanese and Manchukuo force, 2000 strong, supported by artillery and aeroplanes, launched a vigorous attack on the Chinese lines between Kuyuan and Tuhsikou yesterday evening and again to-day. Japanese aeroplanes dropped bombs, while the two Chinese cities were shelled by artillery. The Japanese offensive was launched against the Chinese troops as the latter were withdrawing from the dis--puted zone. Tsuhihkow, one of the main passes in the Great Wall, was considerably damaged. The Chinese, though offering a stiff resistance, were subjected to a merciless artillery bombardment. The extent of the casualties is unknown, but consternation reigns in North China. An earlier message stated that fears of a Japanese invasion of Inner Mongolia had been renewed by the action of the Japanese military at Jehol, who had delivered an ultimatum to Chinese troops who occupied a small area outside the northern loop of the Great Wall, east of Kuyuau. The Japanese authorities at Peking admitted that Japanese and Manchukuo troops were concentrating on Western Jehol for the purpose of forcibly clearing out the Chinese unless the latter withdrew. but they denied any intention of invading Lower Mongolia. Chinese officials declared that the Japanese action was unjustified, as the territory was definitely a part of the Charhar Province, and, in any case, there were no Chinese regulars there, only local militia. Later it was stated that as the result of the Chinese agreeing to withdraw their troops to a line running between Kuyuan and .Tuhsikou. the Jehol border dispute was considered settled. According to the Japanese military authorities in Peking the question of the final delimitation of the boundary would be left for diplomatic negotiation later. JAPAN’S OBJECT Expelling Intruders OFFICIAL STATEMENT (Received January 25, 12.-10 a.m.) Tokio, January 2-1. The Foreign Spokesman said that the military operations in south-west Jehol were with the sole object of expelling General Sung-Chen-Yuan’s intruding force from Manchukuo, and reports abroad that the ultimate object is to occupy North China or menace the trans-Siberian railway are highly coloured fabrications.