WEALTH & STRENGTH OF CHINA

Dominion, Volume 33, Issue 185, 2 May 1940, Page 6

WEALTH & STRENGTH OF CHINA

Ultimate Victory Agains Japan Held Sure

VIEWS OF NEW ZEALAND CHINESE

Were the Sino-Japaiiee>e War to last 10 or 20 years, China’s resources of manpower and raw materials would still be sufficient for her to achieve ultimate victory, said Mr. Clem Ah Chee, an Auckland-born Chinese, who returned recently after nine years in the Orient, in an interview yesterday.

The mineral wealth of China was almost inexhaustible, lie said. She was rich in iron, nickel, copper, zinc, manganese, galena and the much-sought-after molybdenite. If Japan could gain these she would be independent of overseas supplies. Mr. Ah Chee can speak with authority on the mineral resources of China, as for some time before the war he prospected. He left Auckland in 1931 on the death of bis father and went to Chlntr to arrange family affairs. He joined a firm selling scientific instruments and found that the Government was buying large quantities of instruments for mining purposes. Becoming interested, he determined to prospect on his own account. After investigating supplies of manganese, asbestos and mica, he acquired a large molybdenite mine, from which he hopes to make a fortune.

At the end of 1937 he joined the Government service and assisted In tile construction of modern war devices. Later he served as an officer in a motorboat flotilla on the South China coast, returning to New Zealand with his wife and family on the expiration of the term of his commission. New Spirit Evident. On all sides in China there was evidence of a new spirit among the people, which would be the motivating force for the birth of a new nation, he said. China had the same war aims as. the Allies —the defeat of aggression and the philosophy of aggression—and the same conception of peace. There had been reports that Britain and Japan had reached some sort of an understanding about their interests in the Far East, but he did not believe that Britain would sell China to gain Japan’s friendship. Britain might, because of her entanglement in Europe, make minor concessions, but she would not go further. If Britain allowed Japan to dominate the Ear East, it would be the first step in the disintegration of the Empire. The Far East was Britain’s weak spot, and it was China’s resistance to Japan which helped to cover it.

When Japan invaded Manchuria in 1931 European statesmen had mistakenly regarded it as merely the implementation of Japan’s northward expansion plan and no concern of their own. Events in the last nine years had proved that Japan’s ambitions knew no limits, and Japan's northward move, directed against Soviet Russia, was merely a smokescreen to cover her desire to drive British, American and French interests out of the Ear East. Japan’s southward expansion, which had 'begun with the occupation of Hainau Island in February, 1939, and continued with the occupation of Spratley’s Island in April, and of Nanning in Kwangs! in November, had now been intensified with the projected inauguration of South Pacific and Japan-Thai-land airlines. Japan Withdrawing Men. Mr. Ah Chee said that after nearly three years’ war, during which time she had operated in many sectors and had caused much destruction, Japan did not control any area of size or consequence in China. It was very difficult for her to admit defeat, but economically, she was in bad shape and most anxious to get out of the war. Under the cloak of Wang Ching-Wei’s puppet Government, she was'withdrawing men. The symptom of Japan’s economic disease was the rapid rise in commodity prices. In February food prices increased 17.1 per cent., clothing 15.6 per cent., household goods 8.1 per cent., and other commodities up to 6.3 per cent. The Government had tried hard to control prices, but had not been successful. Since 1931-32 Japan’s expenditure had increased from 1.477.000.000 yen to 10,282,000,000 yen for the present financial year. To meet this stupendous expense Japan had resorted to an increase of note issue and to heavier taxes. The “Kokumin-Shimbun” had said that Japan would suffer serious inflation and would see the very streets knee-deep with paper money. Nor was Japan’s political structure secure. The clearest indication of political degeneration was the strangulation of public opinion. Mr. Ah Chee expressed the view that China could greatly assist the Allies in the supply of war material in the event of Japanese forces being withdrawn.! She had raw materials and huge manpower and the Allies had the food and equipment for a still larger army.