Peiping. May 2. Determined Chinese connier-attacks upon the advancing Japanese columns in the 'Taierchwang sector, on the 'Trinpu front, have. been "definitely repulsed", the headquarters of the Japanese' expeditionary forces North China announced ast night.
As a result of the latest Japanese offensive. launched In mid-April, the communique said, "all manceuvres of Chinese armies in Shantung have been frustrated."
Gen, Li Tsung-jon, Commander-in-Chief of the Chinese troops on the Tsinpu front, the statement pointed out, had concentrated 20. divisions along the Grand Canal.
"While these troops made persist cent counter-attacks upon our units, Chinese guerillas afternoted to dis turb the rear lines of the Japanese army In the Shantung are "A Fresh Offensive "A. fresh. offensive, designed to! liquidate these forces, was opened In the middle of April.
"thereafter, Japanese troops resolutely pushed their advance, capturlini chow (Lingyi). the largest Chinese base in south-western Shantung. on April 20, and. Tancheng, 70 kims, south of Tehow."
'A portion of the Japanese troops, the communique said, had penetrated rovinee and "captured ight helms, "south-west of "Taierchwang.
Losses sustained by Gen. Li's forces were put by the communique at 10.000 Bodies of killed Chinese soldiers heft on the battiefelds alone numbered more than 6,000, it added.
"Chinese reports of alleged victories near Tiierchwang widely broadcast abroad are entirely false," the statement declared.
These reports are composed in the usual Chinese hyperbolieal style and fare designed to arrest the decline of international ° confidence in Gen. Chiang Kal-shek's administration.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.