COMMUNISTS TAKING MORE CHINESE CITIES

Grey River Argus, 17 November 1948, Page 5

COMMUNISTS TAKING MORE CHINESE CITIES

Flight of Europeans and Chinese Families is Reported (Rec. 11.40). SHANGHAI, Nov. 16. The Communist advance in China continues. The Communists have captured the town of Suhsien, fifty miles south of Suchow. According to the Communist radio, Suchow also is completely isolated. The Communist forces changed the entire complexion of the battle of Hsuchow to-day by making rapid advances across the area south-west of Hsuchow. On the result depends the fat e of the Chinese capital Nanking. The Communists appear now to have the initiative. The situation at Suhsien, on the railway about 35 miles south of Hsuchow, is reported td be> serious. The position in Taiyuan, the capital of Shenso, is also reported as critical.

GENERAL EXODUS OF EUROPEANS URGED

(Rec. 10.35). SHANGHAI, Nov. 16. The American Embassy here to-day warned all Americans to leave China. This is reported by the Associated Press correspondent at Nanking. At the same time, Reuter’s correspondent at Shanghai reported that the United States Consul-General in Shanghai, Mr John Cabot, to-day issued another evacuation notice, advising the Americans within his jurisdiction (in the provinces of Kiangsu, Anhwei, Chekiang and Kukien) who are prepared to remain in the areas which thev are now residing, to move to places of safety immediately. He urged this, “in view of a generally deteriorating situation, and the likelihood that means of exit from China may, later, become unavailable”. BRITISH URGED TO GO The British Acting-Consul-General at Tientsin has urged the British nonessentili subjects to take’advantage of American assistance and to evacuate that city, reports Reuter’s Tientsin correspondent. The American authorities yesterday put the evacuation of the American citizens from North China on an “emergency basis”. MASS FLIGHT OF CHINESE A mass flight of well-to-do Chinese families from Shanghai and from other central and north China cities has begun. Ten thousand Chinese evacuees are arriving in Hong Kong this week. Seven Chinese landing craft vessels have been sent from Shanghai to Nanking to help to evacuate a tremendous number of refugees who are now piling up in the capital. Communist Ciaim Not Confirmed (Rec. 11.40) NANKING, Nov. 16 There is no official confirmation of Communist claims that Suhsien a strategic railway town half-way between Hsuchow and Pengpu has fallen. Embassador Not Packing Up (Rec. 11.30) SHANGHAI, Nov. 16 Contrary to the earlier reports that the Embassies are packing up in Nanking, Reuter’s Agency says that, when he checked at embassies and at the Chinese Government offices, he found that everything was quiet. Chinese Report Communist Retreat (Rec. 11.50) NANKING, Nov. 16 The official paper “The Central Daily News” issued an extra edition this morning claiming that the Communist General, Chen Yi’s'forces, east of Hsuchow, have begun a general retreat after the Nationalist forces, by air bombing, had levelled the red lines.