793.00/46: Telegram
The Chargé in China ( Mayer ) to the Secretary of State
[Received 10 p.m.]
247. 1. Representative of Foreign Office has just handed me copy of the following identic note addressed to the representatives of Washington Conference powers.
“With the object of further consolidating the friendly relations between China and the foreign powers, I have the honor to address you on a subject which is essential to the promotion of that happy mutual understanding and good will upon which international friendship result [rests]. During recent years there has been a steadily growing feeling shared even by many foreign statesmen that, in justice to China as well as in the interest of all the parties concerned, there should be a readjustment of China’s treaty relations with foreign powers to bring them more in line [with] the generally accepted conceptions [of] international justice and equity and more in conformity with existing conditions in China.
It may be recalled that many of these treaties were not only concluded [a] long time ago but were negotiated under circumstances which hardly permitted the formulation, by full and free discussion, of the principles which should permanently regulate the normal intercourse between China and the foreign powers. But while designed in the first instance largely to meet the exigencies of a particular time these treaties have been allowed to remain in force to the present time when, the situation having been greatly changed, the further indefinite continuance of the extraordinary political and economic privileges and immunities therein conferred upon the foreigners seems to be hardly warranted by circumstances. Moreover on account of restrictions imposed by these treaties there are mutual inconveniences and disadvantages which affect matters concerning China and the foreign powers. So long as these inequalities and extraordinary privileges continue to exist there would always remain causes of disaffection which are apt to produce friction and disturb the cordial relations and good understanding between China [Page 764] and the foreign powers, such as for instance can be seen in the recent deplorable incident which took place in Shanghai.69
At the time when China joined the Allied and Associated Powers in a war waged for upholding the sanctity of international law and the vindication of justice, the Chinese Government was encouraged to hope for a definite improvement of her international status and was happily assured by these powers that they would do all that rests with them to ensure that China would enjoy in her international relations the position and regard due to a great country. Great therefore must be [the] disappointment to her people when after the Great War had been won and the common cause achieved, her own international status should remain unimproved and is in some respects even inferior to that of the defeated nations for in [none] of them do we find the existence of extraterritorial courts, foreign concessions, leased territories and an externally imposed conventional tariff.
The Chinese Government has therefore on repeated occasions approached the foreign powers concerned for a readjustment of her treaty relations. Questions of importance for readjustment were submitted by China to the Paris Peace Conference which, while fully recognizing the importance of the questions raised, did not consider that they fall within the province of the Peace Conference. A similar effort was made by the Chinese Minister at the time of the Washington Conference which, though more disposed to consider China’s requests, could not agree to effect any fundamental readjustment; so that as far as substantial results are concerned very little has yet been accomplished. More recently in a note brought both [addressed?] jointly to the representatives in Peking of the signatory powers to the Washington treaties and agreement, shortly after the assumption of office by the Provisional Chief Executive, the Chinese Government again expressed the hope that the friendly powers would give sympathetic consideration to the well-known aspirations of the Chinese people submitted in recent years to different international conferences by the Chinese Government, so that their relations may be further improved to their mutual advantage. The Chinese Government is firmly convinced that with all nations not only can their relations with China be made more cordial but their rights and interests can be better protected and more effectively advanced without rather than with the enjoyment of extraterritorial privileges and immunities. I have the honor to request you to be good enough to transmit the above to your Government in the confident hope that the Government which you have the honor to represent will be as much convinced as the Chinese Government is that the readjustment of China’s treaty relations on an equitable basis in satisfaction of the legitimate national aspirations of the Chinese people would do much to further consolidate her friendly relations with foreign powers and that your Government will also as fully appreciate the mutual advantages that would result from such a course of action and will therefore give an encouraging response to this proposal of the Chinese Government.[”]
2. Representative from Foreign Office assured me that note’s purpose twofold, first, to take action along line of legitimate national aspiration of Chinese, second, confidentially the note was designed to neutralize radical propaganda directed toward immediate cancelation of so-called unequal treaties by evidencing to Chinese people purpose of Chinese Government to initiate action at once toward readjustment of treaty relations with foreign powers in friendly manner consonant with principles of international law.
3. Meeting of Heads of Legation tomorrow at which Chinese note will be discussed. I shall telegraph further thereafter.