§ The following question stood upon the Order Paper in the name of Sir T. WARDLAW-MILNE:
§ 14. To ask the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether he will give the House the latest information he has as to the general situation in China?
§ Sir J. WARDLAW-MILNEI have already received the answer to this question. It was only put down to-day because it would allow a statement to be made.
§ Sir J. SIMONNews has been received of hostilities in Szechuan and Shantung. Reports as to the former are meagre. In Shantung Chefoo has changed hands, having been occupied without disturbance by the forces of General Han Fu-chu, the Chairman of the Provincial Government. Fighting, however, continues, but no danger to British life or property is apprehended. Some improve-merit appears to have been effected in the Communist situation in Central and South China during the past few months, and military operations have succeeded in driving the Communist forces to a distance from Hankow and in partially clearing the Han valley. Normal conditions have not, however, yet been restored along the Peking-Hankow railway. A statement in regard to the recrudescence of the anti-Japanese boycott at Shanghai was made in reply to a question put by my hon. Friend the junior Member for Preston (Mr. Moreing) on Monday last.