HONAN BATTLE

Dominion, Volume 37, Issue 198, 19 May 1944, Page 5

HONAN BATTLE

Trap Movement By Japanese UNITY TALK IN CHUNGKING (By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright.) (Received May IS, 8.30 p.m.) LONDON, May 17. The Chungking correspondent of the Associated Press ot' America-says the Japanese forces are throwing a huge loop 125 mites west of the Peiping-Han-kow railway and appear to be fashioning a vast trap for the Chinese forces fighting bitterly in Loyang, which still remains in Chinese hands in spite of furious infantry and artillery assaults. If tlio enemy’s westward thrust continues it will threaten Tungkwan. at the elbow of the Yellow River, from which the Japanese could strike into China's north-west. • A Chinese spokesman confidently declared that the battle of Honan is not lost in spite of the new development. Another message says that the Japanese have broken into Loyang city tor the second time, and the battle has been go ing on in the streets as well as outside. Other Chinese forces have made pro gress witli their counter-offensive to the west, and have now won back 20 miles of the Peiping-Hankow trunk railway. The chairman of the Administration of Communist China. Mr. Lin Tso-han, has arrived in Chungking by piano for a conference with President Chiang Kai-shek. Mr. Lin expressed guarded optimism over the prospects of a settlement of the differences. He said the Communists were ready to co-operate with-the Government forces. Observers in Chungking hope that the discussions will result in at least a provisional agreement between the central Government and the Communists, thus enabling China to throw greater strength against Japan, the Associated Press correspondent says.