HAINAN OCCUPATION

Wairarapa Times-Age, 14 February 1939, Page 5

HAINAN OCCUPATION

TURNING POINT IN SITUATION IN PACIFIC According to Geheral Chiang Kai-Shek GRAVE CONCERN FELT IN HONG KONG BRITAIN AND FRANCE CONSULTING (Independent Cable Service.) LONDON, February 13. The gravest concern is felt in Hong Kong at the Japanese occupation of Hainan Island; It is pointed out that a Japanese air base on Hainan would menace Hong Kong, Manila and Singapore, and a submarine base would threaten all trade routes east of Singapore. This follows reports that the Japanese have .conscripted all civilians on the island and are building aerodromes and dredging the harbour of Hoihow to take bigger warships. They have forbidden anyone to quit the island. Patrols are machine-gunning icfugees attempting to reach the mainland. A message from Chungking, (China’s provisional capital, states that General Chiang Kai-shek declares that, if the Japanese are permitted to hold the island and to establish a naval and air base, it will be the turning point in the international situation in the Pacific. The French newspaper “Le Temps” states that, if the occupation is intended to be permanent, France and Britain might find it necessary to revise their attitude toward the Sino-Japanese conflict and the general situation in the Far East. Meanwhile the British Government is keeping in close contact with the French Government. The French Ambassador in Tokio has been instructed to seek an explanation of the occupation of the island. Similar representations will be made by Britain. Following thet French representations, the Japanese Foreign Office issued a statement announcing that Mr Arita, the Foreign Minister, assured the French Ambassador that Japan had no territorial designs on Hainan and would occupy the island only so long as it was militarily necessary. ' Chinese casualties since the Japanese landing are stated to be 250 killed and 60 taken prisoner. The Japanese lost three killed and two wounded. Only a brigade of irregulars defended the island, the remainder of the division, with 10,000, having gone to the mainland after the fall of Canton. A cablegram received from Tokio on Saturday stated that Japanese spokesmen had denied that the occupation of Hainan Island implied that the Japanese had territorial ambitions. He said that it was undertaken only to suppress bases in North Hainan from which pirates had been supplying munitions to China and which now formed the chief route of supply for the army. A Paris message stated: The Government is watching the situation at Hainan Island, where France has a sphere of influence, but it is believed that the danger of an incident is unlikely as there are no French police forces on the island.