CRISIS IN CHINA.

Taranaki Daily News, 20 July 1920, Page 5

CRISIS IN CHINA.

FURTHER FIGHTING. QUIET IN PEKING. By Tilepaph.—Press Assn.—Copjrrltht, Peking, July lfl. An advance of troops of the Fifteenth Division, supported by guns, drove back Wupeifu's outpqsts. Twenty-one wounded frontier troops reached Peking on Friday. There is fighting at an outpost near Lofa. The frontier, troops are using old French aeroplanes for scouting with Chinese pilots. A later message stated that Wupeifu's surrounded and captured a whole brigade of frontier troops. Two regiments of the Fifteenth Division went over to Wupeifu later. Fighting is proceeding at two points. Wounded arriving in trains from Tientsih were attacked by some Chinese wounded. Chihli circles state that the' Anfu troops which attacked Wupeifu troops south of Liuliho sustained defeat. There were COO casualties. Fighting was resumed later. A brigade of the thirteenth frontier division was outflanked and surrendered. A report from the same source states that two brigades of Enkou-Chang's troops surrendered to Chihli forces. A later message states that the fighting which started on the evening of yesterday continues on tho Peking-Tientsin railwav. and wounded continue to arrive from Liuliho. Diplomats art considering necessary rmaaures in view of the severance of railway and telegraphic communication since yesterday—Reuter Service. Peking, July .17. Fighting between troops of rival factions broke out at Kwainhun. Wounded ar» arriving here. The capital is quiet. Mediators sent out to attempt to reconcile the contending parties returned to Peking, their minion having failed. A message from Tientsin states that a train bearing foreign military commanders and proceeding in the direction of Yangtsun, halted at Peisang, where the commander of the Chihli forces stated he had been forced by Japanese troops posted at Yangtsun to remove his troops two miles distant from either side of the railroad, thus creating a four-mile Japanese front. He added that he was compelled to retreat to Peisang to avoid a ChinoJapanese incident.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. JAPAN STRICTLY NEUTRAL. FOREIGN OFFICE STATEMENT. Tokio, July 16. The Foreign Office has issued a communique denying that Japan was part'ciDatrnp in the present troubles in China. Japan is maintaining a strict i-(».!-.~ilitv in intprnnl feuds in China.— Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. New York, July 17. The Washington correspondent of -the New York Times says that the State Department has been advised that, owing to the military troubles between contending factions in China, railway, telephone, and telegraphic communications hdve been interrupted between Peking and Tientsin—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.