EXTRATERRITORIALITY
FRENCH REPLY.
45
The following is the English translation of the reply of the French Gov- ernment to China's Note concerning the abolition of extraterritoriality:
August 10, 1929.
Monsieur le Ministre,
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of the note dated April 27 in which you express the hope that the French Government would take into immediate and favourable consideration the desire of the Chinese Government to be enabled to exercise its jurisdiction over all nationals residing in China.
Having taken note of this communication which has been the object of its careful attention, the French Government authorizes me to recall to Your Ex- cellency that during the Washington Conference it gave voluntarily its approval to the resolution of December 10, 1921, according to the terms of which an international Commission was established to study the question of extraterri- toriality in China.
This Commission, in its report of September 16, 1926, made recommenda- tions, the application of which, might, in its judgment, permit the Powers to relinquish extraterritoriality.
Taking into consideration the facts stated by the said Commission, the French Government considers that, in order to realize the conditions favourable for the renunciation of extraterritorial rights enjoyed by its nationals in virtue of the treaty of 1858, it is indispensable that the Chinese Government proceed to the reform of its laws, its judicial institutions and its method of judicial administration, in conformity with the recommendations of the Commission, recommendations to which the Chinese Delegate has given his approval. It is when these reforms have been carried out and effectively put into practice that the rights of residence, of property owning and trade throughout the whole of China, the necessary counterpart of the relinquishment of extraterritoriality, might constitute for the French nationals a real ad- vantage equivalent to that which the Chinese enjoy in France.
The French Government, animated by the friendly feelings which it was always cherished towards the Chinese people and of which another proof was given last year by the signing of the Tariff Autonomy Treaty, has no doubt that the Chinese Government will make every effort to fulfill the conditions. necessary to the examination of the problem of extraterritoriality.
It is in this spirit that the French Government, faithful to its liberal traditions, has authorized me to give you assurance that it will continue to take an active interest in the reforms to that end which remain to be accom plished and that it will carefully note all the facts which tend to show that these reforms are effectively carried out in the administration and judicial practice of the Government authorities and the people of China.
On the other hand, the French Government will not fail to avail itself of the opportunities as they arise to co-operate profitably with Chinese authori- ties in the endeavour to hasten a state of affairs which would permit it to modify with the necessary guarantees the present jurisdictional status of the French nationals in China.
THE NETHERLANDS' REPLY.
The following is the English translation of the reply of the Netherlands Government to China's note concerning the abolition of extraterritoriality.
Légation des Pays-Bas,
Peking, Aug. 10. 1929.
Monsieur le Ministre,
I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency's Note of April 27 last in which the Chinese Government expresses the hope that Her Majesty's Government would take into sympathetic consideration the desire
Page 75Page 76
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.