754
THE HONG KONG WEEKLY PRESS &
HONG KONG'S “SECRET DIPLOMACY.”
STRONG SHANGHAI COMMENT.
CRITICISM OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH
CHINESE CUSTOMS.
About a fortnight ago it was announced that Mr. F. W. Maze, Inspector-General of the Chinese Maritime Customs, was again visiting Hong Kong to resume negotiations with the Government in regard to the proposed arrangement for the operation of the Chinese Customs service within the waters of the Colony. At the last moment, however, Mr. Maze cancelled his visit, and nothing has been heard as to the reason of the changed plans, or the pro- bable date of his postponed trip south. The following editorial article in the N. C. Daily News of May 23 seems to suggest a pos- sible reason for the change in Mr. Maze's plans. as follows, with a few inserted cross-headings:-
We quote
CR to wire with pp. 12420
11
[May 30, 1930
Court's constitution; and that while we have an expert actually engaged in formulating a scheme for the future government of Shang- hai, it is improper and unfair that so large a piece of ground should have been cut from under his feet. The same strong objection attaches to discussions for the ultimate abolition of extra-territoriality. No step can be taken in this direction, however remote or tentative, which does not directly react on the stand- ing of Shanghai. Neither question can be treated independently of the other. No part of foreigners' standing in China is severable from another. Naturally the Chinese do their utmost to break down this solidarity, getting a little bit here and a little bit there, till there shall be no major question left. That is good tactics on their part and we do not blame them. But in justice to the immense foreign in- terests that have been built up in China, it is for the Western Gov- ernments to resist. This does not involve any change of the policy of meeting China's wishes. It merely means the considering of them as a whole, refusal to make concessions at one point which may most dan gerously affect something else which it had never been meant to touch.
"No apology is needed, we feel pendently of the other questions sure, for carrying the question of bound up with it. It is not a the proposed agreement between separate local affair, but an in- Hong Kong and the Customs a separable part of the whole ques stage further. For what may ap- tion of foreign rights and status pear at first blush a merely local in China. Thus the Government of affair contains important points of China has announced as part of principle, on which clear thinking its general policy the ultimate ex- and a resolute attitude are vitallyclusion of foreign shipping from needed. Correspondence shows that Chinese waters. We are not quar- London circles do not at all appre-reling with it for this announce- ciate the far-reaching nature of the Chinese demand. The China Asso- ciation, for instance, appears to see no harm in it. If we are not mis- taken, the China Association is largely guided in this matter by Sir Francis Aglen. No one could have anything but the highest res-
"Secret Diplomacy." pect for the late Inspector-General, nor could his sincerity ever he ques-
"An actual example may be given tioned. But without disrespect, it of how piecemeal negotitation in is scarcely possible for him to con-
general. and this very discussion out Chinese waters are hit at direct- sider this issue from any but the of the Hong Kong Customs agree-ly. No foreign Power whose ships Customs point of view from whichment in particular, can injuriouslyly here can be indifferent to the
he always has considered it for so many years.
British Flag Penalized. "Let us briefly recapitulate, on the one all-important point in dis- pute. The Customs desire to func- tion in the Colony and that their revenue cruisers may patrol Hong Kong waters, thereby practically converting Hong Kong into a Treaty port. Hong Kong is not averse, but stipulates that she shall be concurrently given Treaty port facilities, which include the right of duly registered British ships of all descriptions to trade between Hong Kong and non-open ports, This the Chinese refuse. If Hong Kong gives way and allows herself to be converted into a Treaty port without the usual facilities attach- ing to it, she will be allowing the British flag to be unfairly penaliz ed; she will be assisting in the establishment of a precedent by which the Chinese may attack the rights of all foreign shipping at other Treaty ports; and a momen- tous step will have been taken in any movement for an eventual de- mand for the surrender of Hong Kong.
ment. We only urge that the ques- fion when it comes to be discussed shall be taken as a whole, and that no precedent shall be allowed to be
got
wp in Hong Kong which, as shown, would undermine those rights to a most serious extent.
affect other negotiations. Last year, as everyone knows, Sir Harry Fox, then Commercial Counsellor, was entrusted with the task of negotiat- ing a new Commercial Treaty be- tween Great Britain and China. Conversations had been in progress for some time when Sir Harry Fox learnt to his surprise that negotia- tions were going on between the Customs and Hong Kong for the agreement of which we have been writing. This information appears to have reached him quite accident- ally. Without going into details, it may be said that the Hong Kong agreement, if concluded, would greatly have affected, if it did not altogether neutralize, much for which he was standing in respect of the Commercial Treaty. The negotiations for the latter, of course, came to nothing; and Hong Kong has not yet been surrendered to the Customs. But the moral of this incident is the same, namely, the evil consequences that must ensue from not letting the right hand know what the left hand is doing.
"This was the basis of all ob- jections to the recent negotiations for the abolition of the Provisional "The point we would emphasize Court. We are not attacking the is that in a question of such im-administration of the District portance, the Hong Kong Govern- Court in any way. We stand only ment should not really be allowed on the moint of principle involved. to negotiate directly with a sub-It needs no demonstration that ordinate Department of the Chinese that Court is intimately linked with Government. Nor ought the ques- the whole authority of the Muni- tion of admitting the Customs into cinal Council, which might be most Hong Kong to be discussed inde- ' seriously injured by changes in the
"This is the principle at Hong Kong. As we have said, there is no objection to admitting the Cus- toms into the Colony provided that with Treaty-port facilities come Treaty-port status. If they do not, if Hong Kong is forced to accept the agreement without receiving the just return for the concession she makes, not only is British ship- important ping penalized, but rights of foreign shipping through-
issue.