127.3/18a

The Secretary of State to Diplomatic and Consular Officers in China

Gentlemen: In order that there may be no confusion as to the representative capacity of consular officers in China, the Department has deemed it advisable to define, by the present instruction, the [Page 752] relation of consular officers to those of the United States Court for China and those of other branches of the United States Government in China.

The consular officer’s position is both representative and administrative, and it is to him that the Chinese authorities look as the responsible American authority in the consular district; to him that Americans are to apply in any controversy with the Chinese or with the nationals of other governments. In the affairs of the international settlements, in the protection of American interests and in caring for the welfare of American citizens, it is the Consul General or the Consul who must represent the United States Government and the Minister at Peking. From this it follows:

1: With regard to representation, that

a:
In all functions and ceremonies, official or otherwise, it is the Consul General or the Consul who is to be the representative of the United States Government, in and for his consular district.
b:
In the observance of all American national holidays, the Consul General or Consul will naturally take the lead and, outside of Peking, when the local authorities wish to pay their respects to the United States Government on such occasions, it is the Consul General or the Consul or the Vice Consul in Chargé of the consular office who will receive them.

2: With regard to relative rank, that

On all occasions, whether official or unofficial, the Consul General, Consul or Vice Consul in Chargé of the consular office, as the representative of the United States Government, ranks with but before the Judge of the United States Court for China, who has no representative capacity. For the purpose of determining the precedence of other consular officers, relatively to the Judge, the latter is to be deemed as ranking with but after a Consul General.

This instruction supersedes the Special Instruction dated August 20, 1919, to the American diplomatic and consular officers in China.69

I am [etc.]

For the Secretary of State:
William Phillips
  1. Not printed.