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Protocol for the Suspension of Hostilities between France and China, and Explanatory Note

Signed at Paris 4 April 1885

 

This instrument was followed by the comprehensive settlement signed at Tientsin in June 1885. The Tientsin Treaty has not been included in TDP.

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    Between M. BILLOT, Minister Plenipotentiary, Director for Political Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Paris, and James Duncan CAMPBELL, Commissioner and non-resident Secretary to the Inspector-General of the Imperial Chinese Maritime Customs Agency, second class in the Chinese civil service and Officer in the Legion of Honour, both duly authorized by their respective governments, have concluded the following Protocol and the explanatory note which follows:

 

PROTOCOL

Article 1

    On one part, China agrees to ratify the Convention of Tientsin of 11 May 1884, and on the other part, France agrees that it will pursue nothing but the complete and entire implementation of that Treaty.

Article 2

    The two powers consent to cessation of the hostilities everywhere, as soon as the orders can be given and received, and France agrees to lifting immediately the blockade of Formosa.

Article 3

    France agrees to send a minister to the North, that is to Tientsin or Peking, in order to arrange the details and the two powers will then set the date for the retreat of the troops.

DONE at Paris, 4 April 1885

BILLOT                         CAMPBELL

 

EXPLANATORY NOTE TO THE PROTOCOL OF 4 APRIL 1885

    I. As soon as a imperial decree has been promulgated ordering the implementation of the Treaty of 11 May 1884 and thereby enjoining the Chinese troops which are actually at Tonkin to retreat beyond the border, all military operations on land and at sea in Formosa and on the coast of China will be suspended; the commanders of the French troops at Tonkin will be ordered not to cross the Chinese border.

    II. From the moment the Chinese troops have received the order to withdraw behind the border, the blockade of Formosa and Pakhoi will be lifted and the minister of France shall get into contact with the representatives to be named by the Emperor of China, in order to negotiate and conclude, with the shortest possible delay, a final peace, friendship, and trade treaty. That treaty will determine the date at which the French troops should be withdrawn from the north of Formosa.

   III. In order for the order to withdraw beyond the frontier to be communicated as fast as possible by the government of China to the troops at Yunnan, the French government shall provide all facilities for that order to be relayed to the commanders of the Chinese troops on the road from Tonkin.

   IV. Considering in any case that the order to cease hostilities and to withdraw cannot be relayed on the same day in French and in Chinese to their respective forces, it is understood that the cessation of hostilities, the beginning of the withdrawal and the completion of the withdrawal shall take place on the following dates: the 10th, 20th and 30th April for the troops to the east of Tuyen-Quan. The 20th and 30th of April and the 10th of May for the troops to the west of that location. The commander who receives the order to cease hostilities first, shall communicate this news to the closest troop units (?) and shall subsequently avoid all movement, attack or encounter.

    V. During the full duration of the armistice and until the signature of the final treaty, the two parties agree not to transport to Formosa any troops or war munitions. As soon as the final treaty has been signed and approved by Imperial decree, France shall withdraw the warships used for the meeting to the high seas, and China shall reopen its treaty ports to French ships.

DONE at Paris, 4 April 1885

BILLOT                         CAMPBELL

 

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© Taiwan Documents Project, 2001

Translated from the French text by Mei-chin Chen and Gerritt van der Wees for the Taiwan Documents Project. The French text can be found in De Clercq. Recueil des Traités de la France, vol. XIV, p. 493, and Parry, Clive. Consolidated Treaty Series. (Dobbs Ferry: Oceana Publishers), vol. CLXVI, pp. 75-78.