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[This Document is the Property of His Britannic Majesty's Government22375
RECR REG 5 JUL 09 (May 179
CHINA TRADE.
CONFIDENTIAL.
[18564]
(No. 163.) Sir,
No. 1.
SECTION 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Sir Edward Grey.-(Received May 17.)
Peking, April 24, 1909. REFERRING to my despatch No. 18 of the 10th January, and to the con- cluding paragraphs of my despatch No. 142 of the 1st April, I have the honour to enclose, for your information, copies of further correspondence with the Wai-wu Pu regarding the request of the Chinese Government for support in bringing into effect the stipulations of the commercial treaties of 1902 and 1903, which provide for the abolition of li-kin in return for an increase of the customs Tariff.
I have assured Prince Ching that, while His Majesty's Government are in full sympathy with China in her efforts to reform her finances, they feel that under present circumstances, and so long as other important clauses of the commercial treaties remain unfulfilled, she is scarcely entitled to expect the necessary support and con- currence in this matter from the Treaty Powers. I have drawn special attention to the failure to issue mining rules or to take effective measures for the regulation of the currency, and also to the inconsistency displayed in requesting us to help in abolishing li-kin while the provincial Governments are actively engaged in establishing new li-kin stations in North and South China.
I should add, in explanation of this last argument, that His Majesty's consul- general at Canton has informed me recently that four new li-kin stations have been started at calling stations on the West River, which are bound to have a prejudicial effect on foreign steamer-borne trade; a new weighing tax in the interior on produce exported from Tien-tsin, which has been the subject of official complaint, is being defended by the Viceroy of Chih-li and the Wai-wu Pu; and according to my American colleague and to information from other sources fresh li-kin exactions are cropping up at other places in the Chih-li province.
I have, &c.
Inclosure 1 in No. 1.
Prince Ching to Sir J. Jordan.
J. N. JORDAN.
(Translation.) Sir,
April 1, 1909. ON the 28th December of last year the Board addressed a note to your Excellency requesting your co-operation in discussing the question of an increase in the tariff and the abolition of li-kin. A considerable time has elapsed, but no answer has been received; and as this matter would be advantageous alike to the finances of China and to foreign trade, we feel that it should not be unduly postponed.
I therefore have the honour to recall my former note to your Excellency's attention and to request an early reply.
I avail, &c.
Prince CHING.
Your Highness,
Inclosure 2 in No. 1.
Sir J. Jordan to Prince Ch'ing.
Peking, April 22, 1909. I HAVE the honour to acknowledge the receipt of your Highness's note of the 7th April reminding me of a previous communication of the 28th December last, in which His Majesty's Government was requested to co-operate in steps proposed by the Chinese Government for bringing into effect the articles of the British, American, and Japanese commercial treaties of 1902 and 1903 relating to the abolition of li-kin in
return for an increase of the tariff.
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