Directory_and_Chronicle_1925 — Page 177

COMMERCIAL TREATY BETWEEN CHINA AND PORTUGAL

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Peking, duly authorized by His Excellency Thomas de Souza Roza, Chief of the said Mission, and Sir Robert Hart, K.C.M.G., Inspector-General of the Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs, provided with the necessary instructions from the Chinese Government, have agreed on the following:

1.—An office under a Commissioner appointed by the Foreign Inspectorate of the Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs shall be established at a convenient spot on Chinese territory, for the sale of opium duty certificates, to be freely sold to merchants and for such quantities of opium as they may require. The said Commissioner will also administer the Customs stations near Macao.

2. Opium accompanied by such certificates, at the rate of not more than 110- Taels per picul, shall be free from all other imposts of every sort, and have all the benefits stipulated for by the Additional Article of the Chefoo Convention between China and Great Britain on behalf of opium on which duty has been paid at one of the ports of China, and may be made up in sealed parcels at the option of the purchaser. 3.-The Commissioner of Customs responsible for the management of the Customs stations shall investigate and settle any complaint made by Chinese mer- chants of Macao against the Customs stations or revenue cruisers; and the Governor of Macao, if he deems it advisable, shall be entitled to send an officer of Macao to be present and assist in the investigation and decision. If, however, they do not agree, a reference may be made to the Authorities at Peking for a joint decision.

4.-Junks trading between Chinese ports and Macao, and their cargoes, shall not be subject to any dues or duties in excess of those leviable on junks and their cargoes trading between Chinese ports and Hongkong, and no dues whatsoever shall be de- manded from junks proceeding to Macao from ports of China, or coming from Macao to ports in China, over and above the dues paid, or payable, at the ports of clearance or destination. Chinese produce which has paid Customs duties and lekin tax before entering Macao may be re-exported from Macao to Chinese ports without paying Customs duties and lekin tax again, and will be only subject to the payment of the tax named Siao-hao.

In witness whereof, this agreement has been written in Portuguese and English and signed in duplicate at Peking this the first day of December, 1887.

(Signed)

BERNARDO PINHEIRO CORREA DE MELLO,

Secretary of the Special Mission of His Most Faithful Majesty...

(Signed)

SIR ROBERT HART,

Inspector-General of Chinese Imperial Maritime Customs.

COMMERCIAL TREATY BETWEEN CHINA

AND PORTUGAL

SIGNED AT SHANGHAI, NOVEMBER, 1904

Art. I.-The Treaty of Amity and Commerce between China and Portugal dated the first day of December, 1887 (17th day, 10th moon, 13th year of Kwang Hsu),. continues in force except in so far as modified by the present Treaty.

Art. II.-Portugal accepts the increase in the import duties stipulated for in Article VI. of the Peking Protocol of 7th September, 1901, from the date of the ratifica- tion of this Treaty. Portugal will enjoy the privileges of the most favoured nation, and in no case shall Portuguese subjects pay higher or lower duties than those paid by the subjects of any other foreign nation. Article XII. of the Treaty of First Decem- ber, 1887, is therefore rendered null and void.

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