Directory_and_Chronicle_1926 — Page 618

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CHINA

or construeted by Japan, with certain exceptions; Japan undertook to withdraw her troops on the Tsingtao-Tsinan Railway; Japan undertook to transfer to China the Tsingtao-Tsinan Railway and its branches, "together with all other properties appurtenant thereto," on receiving payment from China; Japan undertook to transfer the mines at Tsechwan, Faugtze, and Chiulingchen to a company in which the capital would be shared in equal proportions by Japanese and Chinese. The Shantung Commission, to give effect to these provisions, was convened at the conclusion of the Washington Conference. It met at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Peking, Dr. C. T. Wang being the chairman of the Chinese Commissioners, and Mr. Yukio Obata, the Minister of Japan to China, being the chairman of the Japanese Commissioners. A settlement was reached early in December, the terms of which will be found in the Treaty section of this volume.

Other results of the Washington Conference which have a special bearing on China were the Nine-Power Treaty, the Chinese Tariff Treaty, and the resolution! regarding the withdrawal of foreign Postal agencies in China.

The Nine-Power Treaty, signed by the United States, Belgium, the British! Empire, China, France, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, and Portugal, was intended to give effeet to "a policy designed to stabilise conditions in the Far East, to safeguard the rights and interests of China, and to promote intercourse between China and the other Powers upon the basis of equality of opportunity." Briefly, the covenant seekst to end for all time the pursuit by interested Powers of "spheres of influence" andr reaffirms the Hay prineiple of the Open Door and equal opportunity for the trade and commerce of the world in China. China, on her part, agreed not to alienate any part. of her Territory to any foreign Power, A clause to which the Chinese attach much significance is that which provides for the registration and eonsequent publicity of all treaties and agreements between China and the other Powers and all contracts and agreements between China and private individuals and corporations of foreign countries.

So

The Tariff Treaty was the result of a resolution passed by the Powers participating in the Washington Conference authorising the revision of China's import tariff, that the rates shall be equivalent to 5 per cent. effective, as provided for in the several commercial Treaties to whieh China is a party." Certain concessions were also made by the Powers with the object of helping China to meet the conditions contained in international agreements, notably the Mackay Treaty between Great Britain and China, coneluded in 1902, providing for the abolition of interior imposts known under the generie name of likin. These concessions were a 2 per cent. surtax and an extra 24 per cent. on such luxuries "as can bear a greater increase without unduly imped- ing trade." At the conclusion of the Conference, the Tariff Revision Commission commenced its sittings in Shanghai to give effect to the resolution, and the result of its decisions is given in the Treaty seetion of this volume.

All foreign Postal Agencies in China have been withdrawn on the understanding that an efficient Chinese postal service is maintained and that the Chinese Government do not contemplate any change in the present Postal Administration so far as the status of the foreign eo-Director-General is concerned. This arrange- ment came into force on January 1st, 1923. All the British Postal Agencies were closed and withdrawn by December 1st, 1922.

These treaties and arrangements, together with the resolutions, will be found in the Treaty section of this volume.