FRENCH INDO-CHINA

Waikato Times, Volume 127, Issue 21189, 12 August 1940, Page 8

FRENCH INDO-CHINA

MENACE BY JAPAN 100 WARSHIPS ON COAST HELP OFFERED BY CHINA * (United Press Assn.—Elec. Tel. Copyright) LONDON, August 10 According to the Moscow radio 100 Japanese warships are manoeuvring along almost the whole coast of French Indo-China, and nearly 200 warplanes are concentrated in the coastal islands. Chinese troops are reported to be concentrating on the Indo-China frontier, states a message from Chungking. The Chinese leader, Marshal Chiang Kai-shek, said China could not remain indifferent to a Japanese attack on Indo-China. Chinese newspapers are publishing alleged Japanese demands for the right to establish naval and military air bases at Kwangcho-wan and Haiphong, French Indo-China, also for full use of the railway from Haiphong to Kunming for the passage of troops to China.

Massing of Troops it is understood that the Chinese have massed 300,000 troops along the Indo-China border, while the Japanese have 50,000 troops near Nanning and Lungchow. The French authorities are reported to be demolishing all roads and railway bridges into China. It is stated that the Japanese have sent 100 inspectors into Indo-China, and stationed 12 inspectors at Kwang-cho-wan, to ensure that no goods are' transported to China, but Chinese ingenuity is making the task difficult. General Chiang Kai-Shek has learned that the French authorities are hastening their defence preparations in Indo-China. Big movements of Annamite and Tonkinese troops are reported. The Chinese newspapers describe the situation as alarm - ing. They assert that 20 Japanese warships are concentrated in the Gulf of Tonkin, and that a big naval force from Formosa is steaming to Indo-China. Travellers report unusually large naval formations of cruisers and air-craft-carriers, and a considerable number of destroyers and transports at Formosa, and especially at Hainan Island, east of Indo-China. It is believed that many Japanese troops have been transferred from South China to Hainan. No Patched Up Peace A report from Tokio says the Japanese Foreign Minister, Mr Matsuoka, in an interview, said Japan would co-operate with as many foreign Powers as possible which shared her views. She was against any patched-up settlement of the war in China. He claimed that* Chinese resistance was crumbling and left his hearers with the impression that he considered China’s continued resistance had lately been possible only through supplies from Indo-China and Burma. He said France had gradually been assuming an attitude of compliance with Japanese demands.