CHINA HOPEFUL

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 51, 2 March 1939, Page 7

CHINA HOPEFUL

DARKEST HOUR PASSED 2,400,000 MEN IN TRAINING ANNOUNCEMENT OF FUTURE TACTICS (By Telegraph—Press Assoelr.'.ion—Copyright) Received March 1, 9.50 p.m. LONDON, March 1. The Chinese Ambassador in London, His Excellency Quo Tai-Chi, speaking at Liverpool, expressed the opinion that China’s darkest hour had passed, though she needed all the help and finance that diplomacy could give. She would fight for freedom to the, bitter end. China now had 2,400,000 men in training, of whom one third would be employed against the Japanese in the occupied areas, one third in positional warfare ana one third in intensified guerilla warfare. Mr. Quo Tai-Chi added that the Japanese were trafficking in drugs among the children of the occupied areas.

IN INDO-CHINA

FRENCH PRECAUTIONS (Independent Cable Service.) PARIS, Feb. 28. The increasing importance ot happenings in the East is evidenced by the decision to raise levies of 50,000 men in Indo-China, bringing the total armed forces there to 100,000. Thirty-five ot fifty pursuit planes ordered from Holland will be sent to Indo-China and the rest to Jibuti, where the anti-aircraft forces arg being strengthened. An aeroplane factory is to be constructed at Hanoi.

NEW JAPANESE OFFENSIVE

Received March 1, 10.30 p.m. LONDON, March 1. A Shanghai message states that s new Japanese offensive in Hupeh beyond Hankow, is now within 2C miles of the Chinese war base at Tsaoyang.

JAPANESE NOTE

CONTROL IN SHANGHAL DEMANDS MODERATED. Received March 1, 5.5 p.m. SHANGHAI, Feb. 28. A second Japanese Note to the Municipal Council moderates the earlier demands but again emphasises the need for supervision of terrorism in the International Settlement, for which purpose the services of Japanese police are offered. A Tokio message states that the Japanese have accepted a reply from the International Settlement stating that it will undertake to control the terrorists with Japanese help.