CO129-566-14 Union of Democratic Control forwards copy of Notes from China 14-12-1938 - 14-12-1938 — Page 9

- 5

THE MEETING OF THE PEOPLE'S POLITICAL COUNCIL

Chungking. 28th October. The 2nd session of the Political Council of the People was opened at Chungking this morning. One hundred and eleven councillors, numerous important officials of the government, the presidents of the Yuans, and many Min- isters took part in the deliberations.

The opening ceremony was presided over by M. Wang Ching- wei, joint-president of the Kuomintang.

The President of the Chinese Republic, Lin Chen, addressed the Council, emphasising the interdependence of all nations today when a disaster affecting one nation cannot remain with- out having repercussions on other nations. Mr. Lin Chen de- plored the indifference of foreign powers concerning the Japan- ese agression in China, and insisted that if the conflagration is not arrested in time, it will extend to all corners of the earth. Some Powers had helped China, but their help fell far short of their obligations as members of the League of Nations. M. Lin also stressed the fact that the Japanese invasion of China was only the beginning of an ambitious plan for the hege- mony of the Orient, and later of the whole world.

General Chiang Kai-shek who, at the session of last July, held at Hankow, shared personally in the work, was not able to come to Chungking because of the urgency of his military duties, but he sent to the Council a message informing it of the future plans for defence. In his message General Chiang Kai-shek emphasised at the beginning that if it seems that China must see her difficulties increased by the invasion of South China, in reality it is Japan who exposes herself, by the invasion of Kwangtung, to the risk of more rapid defeat. This invasion is a mistake which, at the right moment will hasten the destruction of Japan.

He added that the Japanese forces have fought for six months on the Yangtze, where they have had to be reinforced five or six times, and where they have suffered losses exceeding 300,000 men. However, the Japanese forces have not succeeded in attaining their objective in the region of Wuhan.

Knowing that their defeat is imminent if they delay much longer, the Japanese forces have thrown themselves into the South China adventure in a desperate attempt to cut the maritime communica- tions of China, and stop her importing materials of war, think- ing by this means to hasten the end of the war. The latest developments of the war allowed the Chinese to utilise military strategy to the greatest advantage, in assuming the initiative. On the other hand, new positions of defence had already been taken.