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B. Peiping 2nd August.
A New China News Agency commentary entitled "Punishment must be meted for the criminal acts of the Cruiser AMETHYST" reads as follows.
On 30th July the British Cruiser AMETHYST added another serious crime to its serious crimes of invading into the Yangtze River and the defence line of the People's Liberation Army, shelling the positions of the People's Liberation Army, and causing heavy casualties on 20th April. It first sank the Chinese Steamer KIANGLING LIBERATION and then sank a number of rescue boats, causing
the drowing of many passengers of the steamer.
After perpetrating sericus crime, the British Cruiser AMETHYST took advantage of the fact that the People's Liberation Army troops were rescuing distressed passengers to flee; but British Premier Atlee and King George of Britain telegraphed congratulations to the crew of the Cruiser on their "daring exploit"
and courage, skill and determination". As General Yuan Chunghsien, Commander of the People's Libertaion Army at the Chinki ang Front has said, the Chinese people will never forget this bitter incident and that the Chinese people must mourn for their compatriots who were sacrificed on 20th April and 30th July and seek retribution for their death.
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The whole course of the incident profoundly teaches the Chinese people the viciousness, hypocrisy and shamelessness of Imperialists, no matter who they are. The joint statement of the British Foreign Ministry and Admiralty on this incident on 31st July is a typical hypocritical document, though the facts are plain and clear that British Naval Vessels invaded into the inland water of China to shell Chinese troops and that it was not Chinese troops who intruded into the Thames to shell British Naval Vessels such facts can not but be admitted by the C. in C. of the Far East Fleet, Admiral Brind the communique of the British Government brazenly said that Britain could not acknowledge responsibility for the incident. Perhaps the British Government thought that it had saved its "face" during the negotiation. This is, however, an Imperialist"face". This malignant countenance has made an indelible impression on the Chinese people like that created by the Shanghai massacre in 1925 and the Wanhsien incident in 1926. The policy of American Imperialism in China has reaped what it has
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