Directory_and_Chronicle_1924 — Page 307

THE TRANSFER OF SHANTUNG

THE TEXT OF THE AGREEMENT SIGNED DECEMBER 1st, 1922

The Governments of the Chinese Republic and the Japanese Empire, acting in accordance with Article II. of the Treaty for the Settlement of Outstanding Questions Relative to Shantung signed February 4th, 1922, at Washington, have for the pur- pose of settlement of details as stated in the said Treaty appointed hereby their commissioners respectively to form a Sino-Japanese Joint Commission, that is to say: The Government of the Chinese Republic: Cheng-ting Thomas Wang, Director- General for the Rehabilitation of Shantung Rights; Tsai-chang Tang, Councillor to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Tung-fan Hsu, Councillor to the Directorate- General for the Rehabilitation of Shantung Rights; and Chen-Kau, Former Adviser to the Inspectorate-General of Hunan and Hupeb.

The Government of the Japanese Empire: Yukichi Obata, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to China; Masanoske Akiyama, Chief of Tsingtao Civil Administration; Kasuji Debuchi, Conncillor of Embassy.

Who have agreed at Peking upon the following articles :-

SECTION I.-Transfer of the former German Leased Territory of Kiaochow

Art. I.-The Government of Japan, in accordance with Article I. of the Treaty for the Settlement of Outstanding Questions Relative to Shantung on the transfer to China of the former German Leased Territory of Kiaochow has decided to transfer the entire administration to China at noon on the 10th day of the twelfth mouth of the eleventh year of the Chinese Republic (or 10th day of the 12th month of the 11th year of Taisho). After such transfer, all administrative rights and responsibilities. shall belong to China, but in accordance with the agreement those which should be- long to the Japanese Consulate are not covered by this Article.

Art II. The Governments of China and Japan shall appoint a committee with powers of concluding detailed arrangements for the transfer or taking over of the administration of public properties (including wharves and warehouses) as well as the transfer or taking over of the necessary documents as stipulated in Articles III. and IV. of the Treaty for the Settlement of Outstanding Questions Relative to Shantung.

Art. III.—The committees of the Governments of China and Japan as stated in the above-mentioned Article shall complete all matters concerning the transfer or taking over within one month from the day of the trausfer to China of the adminis tration.

Art. IV. The Government of China shall respect all the judgments of the Japanese courts as well as the force of all the registrations, evidences, certificates, etc. SECTION II.-Withdrawal of Japanese Troops

Art. V.-All Japanese troops (including gendarmes) stationed at Tsingtao shall be withdrawn within twenty days from the date as stated in Article I.

SECTION III-Leasing of Land

Art. VI.-The Government of China agrees to extend the permit granted by the Japanese Administration before the exchange of ratifications of the Treaty for the Settlement of Outstanding Questions Relative to Shantung to thirty years upon its expiration and under the same conditions.

Upon expiration of the above-mentioned thirty years such lease may still be con- tinued but it shall be in accordance with Land Regulations of Kiaochow. Permit of land not yet expired, grauted by the Japanese Almini-trations before the ex- change of ratifications and on which no construction has been begun is, however, not covered by the stipulations in the above paragraph.