Directory_and_Chronicle_1934 — Page 417

CHINA

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lin retired to Manchuria. Just before reaching, Mukden the Dictator's train was blown up by a mine on one of the bridges, and he himself died of wounds. The Nationalist troops entered Peiping without resistance and the capital of China was transferred to Nanking. Meanwhile Chang Tso-lin's son established a separate gov- ernment for Manchuria, but opened negotiations with the Nationalists, hostilities. being suspended. A movement to oust Chang Hsueh Liang, Chang Tso-lin's son from the Manchurian government, was nipped in the bud, its instigator Yang Yu-ting, "the brains of the North," being summarily executed. Meanwhile the Nanking government. formulated an united policy in which treaty revision and abolition of extraterritoriality figured prominently. In the autumn of 1928, conditions had so far improved that Chiang Kai-shek was proclaimed President of the Republic, and early in 1929 the Nationalist flag was formally recognised by the Northerners-the first demonstration of National unity China has seen for many years.

An important event at, the end of 1928 was the signing of a Tariff Autonomy treaty between Great Britain and China in which "His Britannic Majesty agrees to the abrogation of all provisions of existing treaties which limit the right of China to impose tonnage dues at such rate as she may think fit." The political union painfully acquired in 1928 did not last long. Li Tsung-jen, the military Governor of Hankow, and a member of the powerful "Kwangsi clique," effected a coup d'etat against the civil Government, which he proclaimed to be Bolshevist.

proclaimed to be Bolshevist, Marshal Li Tsai-hsin, a member of the same party, and Governor of Kwangtung, who went to Nanking to attend the annual Koumintang Conference, was summarily seized and imprisoned by Chiang Kai-shek. This was a signal for a general conflagration and it was at one time suggested that all the Northern war lords were uniting against Nanking. Canton declared for the National Government, but a curious alliance of the Kwangsi militarists and Chang Fat-fui, leader of the semi-Red Ironsides, marched on the Southern city.. Help was sent from Nanking and the attack was beaten off, largely thanks to a squadron of twenty aeroplanes. The Northern War Lords held aloof and Nanking. triumphed. The main cause of the war was probably Nanking's proposals for general disbanding of troops, and the defeat of the resisting war lords was a big victory for the central Government. On June 1st, amid an amazing display of funeral pageantry, the state funeral of Dr. Sun Yat-sen took place at Nanking. The vast mausoleum of the Father of the Republic is designed on the lines of the national shrine,

The year was one of great distress in China, there being widespread drought in the spring and subsequent famines throughout the country, the province of Shansi suffering the greatest hardships. A certain amount of help was rendered from abroad. but the depredations of War Lords and brigands made the task of relief almost impossible.

The year 1930 saw the open revolt of Yen Hsi-shan, the model tuchun of Shansi and Feng Yu-hsiang against Nanking, Chang Hseuh-liang, the young Governor of Manchuria decided, however, to support Nanking and again Chiang Kai-sliek won a decisive victory. Sporadic outbreaks by Communist hordes, who were little more than brigands, followed the nominal peace and inflicted immense suffering especially in Hunan. A determined set was made upon foreign missions, two English women being beheaded in Fukien, and numbers of ministers of all creeds lost their lives. The object. was probably to involve Nanking in diplomatic trouble with the Powers. This signal- ly failed in view of the steps taken by the Chinese authorities to help foreigners. The growing ascendency of Chiang Kai-shek (who, incidentally, became a convert to Christianity) was the most notable feature politically, of the year.

Good relations were maintained with foreign powers, and in October Wei Hai Wei was formally handed over by Great Britain to China. Negotiations for the modifica- tions of "extrality" between Chinese and the Powers were in progress during the year, but no decisions were made.

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In the early part of 1931. it was hoped that peace would be arranged be- tween Nanking and the Kwangsi militarists, who for two years had defied all attempts to dislodge them from Nanning. The cause of unity and cen- tralised government was, however, to receive a serious set-back. An extra- ordinarily strong force of communists appeared in Kiangsi, reputed to be one of the largest and best disciplined armies in China. The situation was wrapped in a veil of mystery and the very extent of the victories, claimed by Nanking forces, under Ho Ying Cho, the War Minister, and the President's right hand

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