Peking, Apr. 9.
Japanese reports to the effect that pro-Manchukuo troops under the command of General Ting. Chiang joceupied Chinwangtao yesterday are branded in an official Chinese statement issued here today ax entirely ingtao, the statement say; is still in Chinese hands, the Japa ese and Manchukuo troops who had been attacking near having retreated ments ai and Shanbaiku:
Information from foreign sources indicates that Chinwangtao is still in the hands of the Chinese. There appears to be a lull on that front to-day.
'According to Japanese press reports which so far have not been confirmed from any neutral source, 'Ting Chiang is the nom de guerre of General Li Tsai-chun, who is described as the grandson of the famous' Chinese "statesman, Hung-chang. The mysterious' gen-feral is said to be 52 years of age, a bitter opponent of the Kuomintang and a strong advocate of co-opera tion between China and Japan.
Chinese circles consider the report to be fantastic, attributing it to Japanese propaganda:
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.