SOUTHERN FORCES ADVANCING

Sun (Auckland), Volume 1, Issue 71, 15 June 1927, Page 9

SOUTHERN FORCES ADVANCING

CHINESE MILITARY POSITION COMPLEXITIES EXPLAINED , British TVireZess.— Copyright. RUGBY, Monday. A short review of the military situation in China was given in the House of Commons to-day by the Undersecretary of Foreign Affairs, Mr. G. T. Locker-Lam psc-n. Se said the latest reports showed that the Northern forces, about 180,000 strong, are holding a line from Lineheng, on the Tientsin-Pukow line, thence to a bend in the Yellow River north-east of Kai-feng, continuing a l')hg the north bank of the Yellow River to the north-west of Chengchow, with a defensive west flank on the Peking-Hankow railway. The Southerners are in touch with the Northerners in most places and are reorganising their forces on the Lung-hai line for a further advance. The strength of the combined Southern armies is roughly 130,000. The; Feng tie u troops (Northerners) nro receiving reinforcements from Manchuria and their morale appears to be good. The Shantung troops are deserting plentifully to the South-

erners and the Tientsin-Pukow line is •till the weak spot. The defence of the Shantung province now rests on a few hundred Hhite Russians, who are concentrated °n the southern border. The Nationalists are advancing slowly from the south, but a more rapid advance is reported from the * est - There the Southerners are conerging on Yenchow, 150 miles east of rvaiieng. Marshal Sun Chnan-fang’s Northern jr°ops are reported to be retreating oward the Shantung border. Yen Ret-shen, military governor of the ■Shansi province, has declared his al--giance to the Nationalists. No great nange has taken place as regards the liltary situation around Hankow. hj» U K ang * miles to the south-east, . en , occupied by Marshal Cliiang troops, and his forces have ana x?« varLCed above that town. —A. a fld N.Z.