611.9331/153
The Counselor of the American Legation in China ( Perkins ) to the Chinese Minister for Foreign A fairs ( C. T. Wang )9
Excellency: Referring to Article I of the treaty signed by Mr. T. V. Soong, Minister of Finance, on behalf of the National Government of the Republic of China and Mr. J. V. A. MacMurray, American Minister to China, on behalf of the United States, at Peking, on July 25, 1928, I have the honor to state that it is the understanding of my Government that it was, and is, the intention of the High Contrading [Page 787] Parties to agree to the abrogation of certain provisions of existing treaties, namely, provisions relating expressly and specifically to rates of duty on imports and exports of merchandise, drawbacks, transit dues, and tonnage dues in China, and to provide that in relation to these matters neither of the High Contracting Parties shall in any way discriminate against the other or its nationals or articles grown, produced, or manufactured in its territories or imported or exported by its nationals as compared with treatment accorded to any other country or its nationals or to articles the growth, produce, or manufacture of any other country, it being the intention of the Contracting Parties that in relation to these matters there shall be complete, reciprocal, and unequivocal most favored nation treatment.
I have the honor to request an assurance on your part that this is also the National Government’s understanding of the purport and intent of this treaty.
I avail myself [etc.]
- Copy transmitted to the Department by the Minister in China in his despatch No. 1919, February 15; received March 18, 1929.↩