Changes In China

Sun (Auckland), Volume II, Issue 392, 28 June 1928, Page 11

Changes In China

FOREIGN POWERS WATCHING

Unsatisfactory Features

LIGHT was thrown on the situation in China when Sir Austen Chamberlain, British Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, replied to questions in the House of Commons.

British Official Wireless

Reed. 11.3 a.m. RUGBY, Wednesday. Questions bearing on the various phases of the situation in China were answered in Parliament by the Foreign Secretary, Sir Austen Chamberlain. He stated that a representative of Dr. Wang, Minister of Foreign Affairs, recently informed the British Minister that there was a sharp divergence of opinion in Nationalist circles regarding the transfer of the capital from Peking to Nanking. The question would be discussed at the pleniary session of the political council, to be held in the middle of July. POSTAL ADMINISTRATION Interested foreign representatives at Peking are closely watching the situation regarding the Chinese postal administration, in view of the curtailment of the powers of the French Co-Director-General. The Peking-Nanking agreement of February 6 provided for the joint operation of the Northern and Southern sections under two Chinese Direc-tors-General at Peking and Nanking respectively. Protests were lodged by the diplomatic body against this breach of the Washington Assurance of 1922, that the Chinese Government contemplated no change in the postal administration, so far as the foreign Co-Director-General was concerned. As a result of recent developments in China, it was now proposed that the post of Director-General at Peking be abolished, and that postal affairs be controlled by the Director-General at Nanking, involving a transfer of the administration there. DISMISSAL OF JUDGE The senior consul at Shanghai was on June 15 notified that the president of the provisional court had been instructed by the Kiangsu Provisional

Government to hand over the duties of his office to a new appointee. The dismissal of the president was being opposed by the consular body as a violation of the assurance annexed to the rendition agreement, that judges will enjoy the immunities and securities of the tenure provided for by Chinese law. POSITION IN MANCHURIA Questioned regarding the position in Manchuria, Sir Austen Chamberlain said that on June 20 Marshal Chang Tso-lin’s son, Chang HsuehDiang, took over the post of chief military commander at Mukden, and Chang Tso-lin died at midnight on June 21. Apart from this, there had been no change in the political situation in Manchuria. He was unaware of any threat to the British commercial interests in that province, but the developments were being closely watched. SALT PAYMENTS Orders have been issued by the Nanking Salt Administration to the inspectors at Tientsin and at Chefoo. directing that from June 3 all payments issuable by those officers be temporarily deposited with the various Chinese banks, to be taken over by an officer appointed by Nanking. Sir Austen said that the orders entirely ignored the authority of the foreign associate chief inspector, and were in complete disregard of the procedure laid down in the reorganisation loan agreement, for the fulfilment of the obligations secured on the salt revenues. The British Minister at Peking had conveyed a warning to the Minister of Foreign Affairs at Nanking, of the irregularity of this action, and discussions between the associate China inspector and the Nanking authorities are proceeding.