THE SINO-PORTUGUESE TREATY
On April 16th, 1928 General Huang Fu, then Nationalist Minister for Foreign affairs, notified Mr. J. A. Bianchi, the Portuguese Minister, that the Sino-Portuguese Treaty of 1887 would expire on April 28th, and after various negotiations the following treaty was signed on December 19, 1928.
Preliminary Treaty of Amity and Commerce between the Republic of China and the Republic of Portugal.
The Republic of China and the Republic of Portugal, being equally ani- mated by the desire to strengthen the ties of friendship which have happily subsisted between the two countries for more than four hundred years and to promote and consolidate their commercial relations, have resolved to conclude a Preliminary Treaty of Amity and Commerce, and have for this purpose, named as their Plenipotentiaries, that is to say:
His Excellency the President of the National Government of the Re-
public of China:
Dr. Chengting T. Wang, Minister for Foreign Affairs of the
National Government of the Republic of China;
His Excellency the President of the Republic of Portugal:
Mr. Joao Antonio de Bianchi, Grand Cross of the Order of Christ, Officer of the Order of St. Tiago de Espada and Grand Cross of Chia Ho, Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Portugal to China;
Who, having met and communicated to each other their respective full powers, found in good and due form, have agreed upon the following Articles:
Article I. The two High Contracting Parties agree that the customs tariff and all matters related thereto shall be regulated exclusively by their respective national legislations.
It is further agreed that each of the two High Contracting Parties shall enjoy in the territories of the other, with respect to customs and all related matters, treatment in no way less favourable than the treatment accorded to any other country.
The nationals of each of the two High Contracting Parties shall not be compelled, under any pretext whatever, to pay within the territories of the other Party any duties, internal charges or taxes upon the importation or exportation of merchandise, higher or other than those paid by the nationals of the country or by the nationals of any other country.
Article II.The nationals of each of the two High Contracting Parties shall be subject, in the territories of the other Party, to the laws and jurisdic- tion of the law courts of that Party, to which they shall have free and easy access for the enforcement and defence of their rights
Article III. The two High Contracting Parties have decided to enter as soon as possible into negotiations for the purpose of concluding a Treaty of Cominerce and Navigation based on the principles of absolute equality and non-discrimination in their commercial relations and mutual respect for sovereignty.
Article IV. The present Treaty has been drawn up in two copies in Chinese, Portuguese, and English. In case of any difference of interpretation, the English text shall be held to prevail.
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