 When the Japanese invaded Manchuria on 18 September 1931, he went south to join the Central Government and became an instructor in the Central Flying School near Hangchou.After returning from Italy after an inspection tour, he was made Deputy Chief of Instruction, and commander of the 4th Pursuit Group.While Chinese intelligence reported a number of Japanese bombers having taken off from an airfield in Taiwan, crossing the Formosa Straits and were on a heading north in direction of Hangzhou in Zhejiang, the raid was detected by the Chinese air raid warning network.