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"unequal" and "humiliating" privileges
from the Chinese Government. So
far as existing conditions allow,
His Majesty's Government desire to
accord to the Chinese Government
the treatment due to an independent
civilized power, and at the same
time to demand that China shell
observe the established conventions
of intercourse between civilized
peoples. It follows that precedents
drawn from the relations of China
with foreign powers in the years
preceding the war are no longer of
any necessary value as guides to
present policy. It is also clear
that it would be contrary to the
policy of His Majesty's Government
to demand that Chinese Consuls should
be limited to purely commercial
functions