Conndence in the ability of the Chiese to halt the Japanese drives South Kwangsi and West Suiyuan was expressed by & Chinese military spokesman at yesterday's press con~ ference here, when he forecast an early recapture by the Chinese of Pingyang City, north-east of Nanning] on the highway to Liuchow.
Reviewing the battle in Kwangsi, the spokesman stated that Japanese forees in the Nanning area began to: move north-westward om January 28, three columns in the direction of Pingyang.
'AS one. column on the highway atiaeked Chinese positions at Batang. and Chiutang. south of Kunkunkwan. (pass), another Japanese column moved northward in. the mountains west of the railway.
At the same time, he went on, a third Japanese "column advanced, eastward from Nanning, crossed. the Vu River at Yungshan, then executed, 4 flanking movement and made a bold ash for Pingyang, east of the highway.
Alter capturing Pingyang on Feb.
the "spokesman explained, the Japanese pushed farther north in two columns, "one reaching Shanling, north-west of Pingyang, while another column reached a point north-east of the town.
Attempt to Cut Rear The Japanese column on the main highway is said to be still hold. by the Chinese in the mountains south of Kunlunkwan, while Chinese forces cast of Wuming are claimed to be exerting pressure on the Japanese column operating west of the highway. Chinese troops east of Nanning, however, are reported to have started to close' in to out the rear of the Japanese column at present at Pingyang.
The Chinese, the spokesman declared, would shortly retake the city Pingyang.
Tuming to the fighting in Suiyuais, he said Japanese forees in the western art of the province converged on Wuyuan and Lingho in two columns, one of which reached point north of Wuyuan from Anpeh, while the Other crossed the Yellow River at Paotow, moved westward, then advanced to the north and crossed the Yellow River again, taking Wuyuan, from where they advanced towards Lingho.
The Chinese military spokesman was sceptical whether the Japanese Grives could make further headway seriously doubling if the Japanese really intended to cut China's communications Inthe south-west Reuter.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.