ALLIES & CHINA

Wairarapa Times-Age, 12 January 1943, Page 3

ALLIES & CHINA

END OF EXTRA-TERRITORIAL RIGHTS NEW TREATIES WITH BRITAIN & UNITED STATES. BASIS OF COMPLETE EQUALITY. LONDON, January 11. • lii Chungking today representatives of the British and Chinese Governments signed a treaty abolishing extra-ter-ritorial rights in China. A. parallel treaty between the United States and China was signed in Washington. In future, relations with the Chinese Republic will be based on complete equality. A British Official Wireless message states that the Anglo-Chinese Treaty was signed in Chungking today by Sir Horace Seymour, the British Ambassador, and Dr Soong, the Chinese Minister of Foreign Affairs. The treaty follows the announcement of the British intention to 1 abrogate extraterritorial rights, made on October 10, 1942. A similar treaty, between China and India, was signed simultaneously at Chungking. The treaty comes into force forthwith.

A treaty, identical in principle, was also signed at the same time in Washington, between the United States and China.

The general effect of these treaties is that British, American and Indian nationals, who henceforward come before Chinese courts will be tried by those courts under Chinese law instead of by their respective Consular Courts. The Dominions are making their own arrangements, but already have expressed complete agreement with the main purposes of the treaty, which, besides declaring a formal abrogation of extra-territoriality, deals with certain related matters needing attention as a natural consequence, it provides that a comprehensive treaty of friendship, commerce, consular rights and navigation shall be signed between the respective countries within six months of the cessation of hostilities or earlier if either party wishes.