Directory_and_Chronicle_1928 — Page 491

CHINA

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The Nine-Power Treaty, signed by the United States, Belgium, the Britisli Empire, China, France, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, and Portugal, was intended to give effect 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 seeks to end for all time the pursuit by interested Powers of "spheres of influence" and reaffirms the Hay principle 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 attaclı much significance is that which provides for the registration and consequent 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.

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, "so that the rates shall be equivalent to 5 per cent. effective, as provided for in the several commercial Treaties to which 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, concluded in 1902, providing for the abolition of interior imposts known under the generic name of likin. These concessions were a 23 per cent. surtax and an extra 2 per cent. on such luxuries "as can bear a greater increase without unduly imped- ing trade."

All foreign Postal Agencies in China have been withdrawn on the understanding that an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 co-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 All the British Postal Agencies were closed and withdrawn by December 1st, 1922.

In

During the past three years the country has been in a state of disorder unparalleled in its previous history. In the South the ascendancy of the Kuomintang Party was signalised by the declaration of an anti-imperialist and anti-British boycott which was not terminated until October, 1926. In the North there has been constant warring between the military leaders. No Government has been functioning in Peking. July, 1925, a Nationalist Government was formed in Canton and in 1926 an expedition to the North was organised in order "to unify" the Country and to bring it under Nationalist control. This expedition met with remarkable success. The forces of Wu Pei-fu were defeated and towards the close of the year the Wuhan cities werc captured and Wuchang declared the new capital of the Nationalist Party. Threatened by a mob, urged to excesses by Bolshevist agitators, the British in order to avoid bloodshed withdrew from the Hankow concession and left it in control of a Nationalist committee of administration. During 1927 the Northern expedition intended "to unify" the country only succeeded in dividing the Kuomintang Party. Owing to the dissensions, rival governments were established at Nanking and Hankow, both claim- ing to represent the Nationalist cause. Following the decision of Nanking to oust Bolshevik influence the Hankow Government disappeared. The Nanking section ex- tended its authority to Shanghai and continued intermittent warfare with the North, but no decision was reached. Further complications were introduced by Canton virtually declaring itself independent of Nanking and by the outbreak of hostilities between! Chang Tso-lin and the Tupan of Shansi. At the end of the year, therefore, instead of unification, the confusion is greater than ever. There is no government. North and South are divided into a number of hostile factions and a large foreign force remains at Shanghai for the defence of foreign interests.