"In the 100 years or so prior to the victory of the Chinese
revolution, the imperialist and Colonial Powers the U.S.A.,
<
Britain, France, Tsarist Russia, Germany, Japan, Italy, Austria,
Belgium, the Netherlands, Spain and Portugal carried out
unbridled aggression against China. They compelled the
Governments of old China to sign a large number of une qual
Some seized Taiwan and the Penghu Islands, some
occupied Hong Kong and forcibly leased Kowloon, some put Macao
under perpetual occupation, etc. etc.
As a matter of fact,
treaties
many of these treaties concluded in the past either have lost
their validity, or have been abrogated or have been replaced by
new ones. With regard to the outstanding issues, which are a
legacy from the past, we have always held that, when conditions
are ripe, they should be settled peacefully through negotiations
and that, pending a settlement, the status quo should be
Page 246 maintained. Within this category are the questions of Hong Kong,
Kowloon and Macao
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