CO129-482 - Public Offices - 1923 — Page 293

This Document is the Property of. His Britannic Majesty's Government.”

CHINA.

CONFIDENTIAL.

[F 1772/12/10]

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[June 1.

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34376

SECTION 1.

REC

I

No. RE 12 JUL 23

Sir R. Macleay to the Marquess Curzon of Kedleston.-(Received June 11.)

(No. 259.) My Lord,

Peking, April 26, 1923. IN paragraph 8 of my despatch No. 205 of the 24th March, reporting on the general political situation in China, I mentioned the issue by the Peking Government of mandates appointing Wu Pei-fu's nominees, Shen Hung-ying and Sun Ch'uan- fang, to the Military Governorships of Kuangtung and Fukien respectively in opposition to Sun Yat-sen. I added that, while the effect of these mandates was then being awaited, they were generally regarded as a declaration of war by Wu Pei-fu and Peking against Sun Yat-sen and the Kuo Min Tang. This has unfortunately proved a true forecast, and hostilities have now recommenced in the South.

2. For some time after the issue of the mandates Shen Hung-ying at Canton made no move, and it appeared to be an open question whether he would accept his appointment or not, Apparently, however, he was merely waiting until his prepara- tions were complete, and in the middle of April he announced his acceptance of office under Peking and simultaneously opened hostilities against Sun Yat-sen, who for his part threw down the gauntlet by issuing a circular telegram in the name of the South-West, denouncing Wu Pei-fu and the Chihli Military party in terms with which we are now so familiar. Somewhat to the general surprise, Sun Yat-sen, supported by the Yunnanese troops under their leader General Yang Hsi-min, has so far held his own, and as the result of the fighting which has been proceeding during the past few weeks, Shen Hung-ying and his Kuangsi troops have been driven back up the river. It now remains to be seen whether the Northern troops in Kiangsi and the remains of Ch'en Chiung-ming's forces in Northern Kuangtung will or will not come successfully to Shen's assistance.

3. In Fukien Wu Pei-fu's nominee. Sun Ch'uan-fang, has been able to take up his appointment at Foochow without opposition, since Hsu Ch'ung-chih and his Kuo Min Tang forces have withdrawn towards and into Kuangtung to assist Sun Yat-sen. Fukien has, therefore, for the time being passed again under the nominal control of Peking.

4. In the other theatre of civil war, the Province of Szechuan, the fighting has gone in favour of the party supported by Wu Pei-fu. General Yang Sen, advancing up river from Ichang, has reached and occupied Chungking, while his ally for the moment, General Teng Hsi-hou, after suffering preliminary reverses, has apparently been equally successful in the fighting round Chengtu, the provincial capital. The former Commander-in-chief and de facto Governor, Liu Yu-chiu, seems to have abandoned the sinking ship and to be currying favour with the victorious side, and it is expected that the ex-Tuchun, Liu Ts'un-hou, will shortly resume the governorship of the province in the interests of Peking. It is to be feared, however, that this nominal re-establishment of Peking's control over Szechuan (attained by lending support to one native faction against another) will in due course be followed by further political intrigue and civil war in that rich but turbulent province, which, ever since the revolution has been notoriously intolerant of extra-provincial interference in its affairs,

5. Copies of the reports from His Majesty's consuls-general at Canton and Chengtu reporting in detail on events in Kuangtung and Szechuan respectively will be forwarded separate despatches.

6. It will thus be seen that Wu Pei-fu's plans have been successful in Szechuan, but not in Kuangtung. In this connection I have the honour to enclose copy of an interesting note on a conversation held by Mr. Mayers, of the British and Chinese Corporation, with a Chinese official professing to be in close touch with Wu Pei-fu and Tsao Kun on the subject of the plans of these two leaders (or rather of Wu Pei-fu. for his appears to be the directing brain) for the military unification of China by the overthrow their enemies the Kuo Min Tang-Anfu-Mukden combina- tion. It will be seen that these plans are alleged to consist in the domination of

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