CHINA RESISTS Against Japanese Demands

Hawke's Bay Herald-Tribune, Issue 158, 22 July 1937, Page 5

CHINA RESISTS Against Japanese Demands

-Press Assb.—

~ i ^ ■ TROUBLE SPREADS TOTHESOUTH Argument About Tangku Truce DEFENCE OF WANGPING

(By Tftlegraph-

■Copyright.)

(Received 22, 1.30 p.m.) PEIPINGr, July 21. Tension was temporarily relaxed by the reported Withdrawal of ihe 37th Chinese Division from Wangping but renewed, owing to the Division 's refusal not only to continue the withdrawal but to their deeision to re-occupy their ponitions. where they are dirfrinjz'

fresh trenehes and are intermittently firing on the Japanese troops. "Wangping is holy ground. We shall never retire," declares the Chinese Commander. JapaneSe troops continue to invade Hopei and a crisis is expected at noon to-morrow, the time hxed by the Chinese for the Japanese retirement to the lines held prior to the Loukouehiao incident. The difficulty of the situation is inereased by contradictory interpretations of the Tangku truce of 1933. The Japanese say that the Chinese entry into Hopei violateg this, while the Chinese assert that their army is still west and south of the Tangku armistice lines and that Japanese intrusion beyond that line flagrantly breaks the paet and justifies Chinese denunciation. A separate issue is developing in South China where the Japanese Consul is reported to have demanded the withdrawal of Gen- ' eral Lihonweh's 155th Chinese Division from Swatow because it is fomenting anti-Japanese feeling. This follows tbe refusal of Chinese coolies to handle Japanese eargoes. The Canton authorities not only rejected the demand but ordered the 153rd Division to Swatow.