Four members of a Chinese official touring party to the southwest have returned to Shanghai after four months' travelling in the southwestern provinces where Chinese authorities are planning to carry out a gigantic industrial and economic reconstruction plan to prolong the hostilities. These four members are all bankers who! will compile a written report for the reference of the Government.
The party was organized some months ago in Chungking jointly by officials of the Military Affairs Cow cil, Ministry of Economics and other Government offices and universities and banks. Under the leadership of Ching Kuo-pao, the party left Kung-ming in July of this year travelling through Szechwan, Sikong, Kansu, Shensi, Yunan and Kweichow.
According to one of the four members who have returned to Shanghai, the natural resources in the southwestern provinces are numerous. Their richness is said to be beyond the imagination of those living in Central China. Handicapped by poor communications people have paid j little attention to the vast country but he is glad that the Government has decided to exploit these natural resources so that the country will be kept constantly supplied with materials during the national crisis.
The party has just completed the useful trip and through its leader a written proposal to the Government as to the best methods of exploitation will be submitted. The party's leader will not do so unless he has received reports from other members of the party. The report of the Shanghai members is being made and it will be ready for publication in a fortnight's time.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.