793.003/10
The Minister in China (Reinsch) to the Acting Secretary of
State
Peking, May 9,
1919.
[Received June
7.]
No. 2720
Sir: I have the honor to enclose for your
information copy of a translation of a presidential mandate
concerning nationals of non-treaty countries, which appeared on
April 28th.
Some of my Colleagues desire to bring up this matter for discussion
as they are not sure whether nationals of the newly-liberated
countries should not be taken under the protection of the Allied
Ministers rather than to live under Chinese law.
As this is a very complicated question I should greatly value your
telegraphic instructions as to whether I should cooperate in
extending to such nationals protection which would give them the
privileges of extraterritoriality.
I also have the honor to request instructions whether in cases where
individual Roumanians, Czecho-Slovaks, Jugo-Slavs, Serbians or Poles
should apply to the Legation for good offices, as has been done [Page 685] in several cases, such
good offices may be extended and in what measure this may be
done.
I have [etc.]
[Enclosure—Translation]
Presidential Mandate of April 28, 1919,
Concerning Nationals of Non-Treaty Countries
That all non-treaty nationals, residing and travelling in China,
should respect and obey Chinese laws and orders, and cannot
enjoy the protection accorded by another nation, was (embodied
in a despatch) circulated to the provinces by the Ministry of
Foreign Intercourse in the ninth moon of the 34th year of Kuang
Hsu, during the former dynasty, as on record. Hereafter, all
non-treaty countries wishing to enter into treaty relations with
China should do so on the basis of equality. Those severing
their connexion with their parent countries and establishing new
independent states should not be allowed to succeed to the
rights and privileges secured in the treaties signed by their
parent countries. The peoples of these races now living within
Chinese territory in large numbers should all obey and respect
Chinese laws and orders in all matters of taxation and
litigation. If any Third Power should demand the privilege of
protecting them, such demands, one and all, must be rejected by
quoting the authority above referred to. Regulations for the
control of such non-treaty subjects should speedily be framed,
for the guidance of the concerned. Let the Cabinet instruct all
the offices controlling such matters to draft and submit these
regulations as soon as possible. Let the high territorial
officials issue circulars, ordering their subordinates to take
note of and obey this Order.
