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SINO-FOREIGN TREATIES

Tariff Autonomy Treaty between China and Great Britain.

His Excellency, the President of the National Government of the Re- public of China, and

His Majesty the King of Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the Seas, Emperor of India.

Desiring to strengthen the good relations which happily exist between them and to facilitate and extend trade and commerce between their respec- tive countries,

Have resolved to conclude a treaty for this purpose and have appointed as their plenipotentiaries.-

His Excellency, the President of the National Government of the Re-

public of China:

His Excellency, Doctor Chengting T. Wang, Minister for Foreign

Affairs of the National Government of the Republic of China; His Majesty the King of Great Britain, Ireland and the British Dominions beyond the Seas, Emperor of India; For Great Britain and Northern Ireland:

•

Sir Miles Wedderburn Lampson, K.C. M.G., C.B., M.V.O., His Majesty's Envoy Entraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary to the Republic of China;

Who, having communicated their full powers, found in good and due form have agreed as follows:-

Article I.-It is agreed that all provisions of the existing treaties between the High Contracting Parties which limit in any way the right of China to settle her national customs tariff in such way as she may think fit are hereby abrogated, and that the principle of complete national tariff autonomy shall apply.

Article II. The nationals of either of the High Contracting Parties shall not be compelled under any pretext whatsoever to pay in the territories of His Britannic Majesty to which the present Treaty applies and China res- pectively any duties, internal charges or taxes upon goods imported or ex- ported by them other than or higher than those paid on goods of the same origin by British and Chinese nationals respectively, or by nationals of any other foreign country.

Article III. His Britannic Majesty agrees to the abrogation of all provi- sions of the existing treaties between the High Contracting Parties which limit the right of China to impose tonnage dues at such rates as she may think fit.

In regard to tonnage dues and all matters connected therewith, Chinese ships in those territories of His Britannic Majesty to which the present treaty applies and British ships in China, shall receive treatment not less favourable than that accorded to the ships of any other foreign country..

Article IV. The present treaty shall be ratified and the ratifications shall be exchanged in London as soon as possible. It shall come into force on the date on which the two Parties shall have notified each other that ratification has been effected.

The Chinese and English texts of the present treaty have been carefully compared and verified; but in the event of there being a difference of meaning between the two the sense as expressed in the English text shall be held to prevail.

In witness whereof the respective plenipotentiaries have signed the present treaty in duplicate, and have affixed thereunto their seals.

Done at Nanking, the twentieth day of the twelfth month of the seven- teenth year of the Republic of China, corresponding to the twentieth day of December, nineteen hundred and twenty-eight.

(Signed) CHENGTING T. WANG. (Signed) MILES W. LAMPSON.