CO129-512-1 Political situation in China- and Canton 30-11-1928 - 23-5-1929 — Page 64

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7.

Mr. Samuel Wong, speaking in the name of General Ch'an Ming-shu, assured me that the life of Marshal Li Chai-sum was not in danger. He deplored

the action, which had been taken by Marshal Chiang against Marshal Li, as impolitic and ungenerous, in view of the fact that Marshal Li Chai-sum had gone to Nanking in an endeavour to keep the peace and had on at least two previous occasions supported Marshal Chiang Kai-shek when in considerable

danger. Mr. Wong appeared to believe that

Marshal Li would before long be released and would then go abroad, possibly visiting his son, who is

now at an American University.

8. Mr. Wong volunteered the remark that

Marshal Chiang Kai-shek was not much liked by the Chinese, and that he would probably disappear from the political arena before very long, being

eliminated in some manner, which would not diminish

the authority of the Central Government at Nanking.

Who would succeed Marshal Chiang, Mr. Wong did not

profess to know; but he evidently was afraid that it

might be Marshal Feng Yu-hsiang.

9. I took the opportunity of drawing the

attention of Mr. Wong to the news, which I had just

received, that the Cantonese military and naval

outpost in Bias Bay had been withdrawn, and I asked

him to express to General Ch'an Ming-shu my strong

opinion that the military and naval stations in

Bias Bay must for the present be maintained as a

precaution against further piratical outrages.

Mr. Wong said that he would communicate my message to

General Ch'an, and that he believed the precautions

in Bias Bay would not be relaxed.

10.