31 Preliminary Discussion on the Abolition of the Contract

Zhang Jian, the champion, had just been sent away, and Song Jiaoren visited again. Since the battle between the cabinet system and the presidential system was hit internally and externally, he has rarely been seen in the presidential palace.

Li wanted to stand on the steps and said with a smile, "I'm a rare guest."

Song Jiaoren frowned and said, "I have nothing to do in the Three Treasures Hall. I'm in big trouble, diplomatic."

"Go, go in and speak slowly." Li wanted to laugh and pulled Song Jiaoren into the hall. Didn't the president say that he personally took over diplomatic matters? Regarding diplomacy, I can't help you if you come to me.

Li Xiang's eyes rolled around. Sun Yat-sen and Sheng Xuanhuai's loan from Han Yeping to Japan were pulled out by other people with ulterior motives earlier?

Hearing what he said, Song Jiaoren hurriedly said, "These days, I don't know what the President and Keqiang are busy with? I'm here to hear your opinion on this matter.

"Say it, I'll try my best."

"The British steamer Mesperic did not obey the Chinese quarantine rules. It inspected it alone and entered Wusong Port. For this reason, Wu Tingfang protested to the British minister in Shanghai. Britain advocates that in order to protect the lives and property of British people in China, the so-called extraterrious jurisdiction should be implemented in accordance with British law.

Li Xiang sneered and said, "Even if China sank the British ship, it was justifiable."

Song Jiaoren fell to his feet and said, "This is your opinion. Start a war against Britain?"

Li Xiang smoked casually and said, "It's the Republic of China, and the extraterritory legal power will not be abolished. What's the difference between this republic and the full court? What are we afraid of? We are united as one, and we are afraid that we can't beat the foreign devils?!"

Song Jiaoren cried bitterly in his heart and shook his head and said, "Unity as one? Now that the North and the South are divided, China has been divided. What kind of unity is there?

Li Xiang sneered and said, "After this incident, let's publicize it well. The people's call for the abolition of extraterriial law are rising, and the hearts of the people will unite? Our retreat to the foreign devils can only boost the arrogance of the foreign devils, attack the cohesion and confidence of the nation, and make concessions, and can never unite the hearts of the people.

The more he said, the more he twisted, and Li Xiang's face became gloomy again. To be honest, his intention to modify the unequal treaty is already obvious, but the government of the Republic of China does not have the courage to support him. His original abdominal manuscript was just to negotiate the modification of the tax right first. He has long wanted to put forward a proposal to the government of the Republic of China to amend the treaty for the purpose of restoring tariff autonomy. He believes that this negotiation should be before the legal power negotiation. Because foreigners control Chinese customs, China's tariff income is small, so it is necessary to protect tariffs and curb imports to revitalize the country's industry. Unexpectedly, it turned to the extremely important unequal treaty of foreign power, which was out of control. At present, I was very proud, but I didn't think much about the consequences.

Song Jiaoren said resentfully, "Nanjing's Letter to Friends is that in view of the weakness of the Nanjing government itself, the newly established provisional government has no choice but to recognize the unequal treaties concluded by the Manchurian court in exchange for the recognition of the new government by the European and American powers. The president has also expressed his intention to make treaty corrections in many conversations. As mentioned in it, there are many disadvantages in the treaties concluded by the court so far, and their benefits and losses are above the public discussion and must be corrected. In addition, when communicating with foreign countries, it is appropriate to engage in the content of the public law of all countries. This shows that the new government has long been aware of the danger of the unequal treaties concluded by the Manchurian court, believes that the revision of the treaty is inevitable, and at the same time indicates that it should deal with Western powers based on international public law. Therefore, we all advocate the current suspension of the amendment of the treaty and the extension of the modification period by three or even five years, pending the enhancement of national strength.

Li wants to come to his senses. There is no diplomacy in a weak country. Strong national strength is the premise and foundation of the treaty revision. In order to win the diplomatic service, it is imperative to rectify the internal affairs. China must vigorously implement the policy of colonization and industry, and at the same time reform the political system, social customs, education, culture and legal system, so as to provide a political, economic, social and cultural basis for the revision of the treaty.

However, thinking of the current international situation, Li Xiang smiled and said, "Have you seen the Records of the Eastern Zhou Dynasty? The rise of Prussia in Europe and West made the old British and French powers very afraid. China is the time to accumulate national strength and wait to rise. It is at a time when the great powers are unable to look around, and we have to modify the unequal treaty!"

Song Jiaoren was moved and said solemnly, "Maybe we can negotiate the issue of tax rights first like Japan."

"No!" Li wanted to object and said, "The Nanjing government must make amending the treaty as its main diplomatic issue. Its policy is not only to focus on restoring tax rights, but also to raise the issue of legal rights and tax rights at the same time, abolish extratergural jurisdiction and the right to collect taxes, so that China gradually has the same land as major European and American countries. . "

Li Xiang first talked about the tariff issue: "One of the main reasons for the change is to prevent serious loss of customs money. Since the establishment of Xinhua Group, my younger brother has begun to investigate China's tariff situation. It is found that China's customs exports float more than imports, up to tens of millions every year. In the 31st and 12 years of Guangxu, Hankou business was as prosperous as that in Beijing and Shanghai. In those years, opium alone lost as much as 10 million a year. If you don't take preventive measures against such a huge loss of money, it will accumulate over time and be empty. It can be predicted that decades later, the consequences will be unimaginable, especially worse than cutting the land and losing coins.

Li Xiang sadly found that the crux of China's tariff problem lies in the basic common sense of tariff sovereignty and tax rate, but people in this era are very hazy about these basic common sense. As far as the sovereignty of tariffs is concerned, the tariffs of Western countries are completely independent, and there is no reason to be dictated by others.

"The importance of customs duties is determined by oneself, and it is just to inform all countries so that they can comply with them. Those who have not reached an agreement with other countries. Li thought: "European and Western countries put business first, and the emperors of the whole country think about it in the morning, but they are afraid of the flow of money. China's products are widely exported to other countries, so the export tax is reduced to make it light and profitable. The products of the people's country should not enter our country, so the necessary things are forbidden, the necessary ones are transplanted and planted, followed the law, and the import tax is re-imported, so that the price is expensive and others have nothing to make a profit. Therefore, the power to collect taxes must be independent, and the profit can be increased or decreased, which is the reason why the country is rich. China's right to collect taxes has no autonomy, and it must be discussed with the Westerners... As far as the standards of customs duties are concerned, the difference between the East and the West is also very different. The import taxes of Western countries are generally worth 30 yuan, even as high as 50 or 70. China's import tax is only worth one hundred and five, which is the lightest tax in the world. However, foreign businessmen are not satisfied, and they want to be exempted from the passage in the mainland, and they want to pay half of the tax. They also want to discuss tax cuts and cents.

This is the reason why Li wants to raise taxes independently. This special tariff system is of great harm. Because tariffs are not autonomous, China's customs money is seriously lost. The loss of money has made China poor at the end of the Qing Dynasty and the beginning of the People's Republic of China. The whole country is arrogant, and the drawbacks have been seen. Over time, the consequences will be unimaginable. Among the diplomatic issues of the Qing Dynasty, the most painful were the two major events of "losing money" and "cutting land". At that time, the harm of the loss of money from Chinese customs was far greater than this. Li wanted to analyze: "Today's outflow of money is more than ten times that of the year. And the land was ceded to people, and one of the Jews went to his finger, and the others could protect themselves. If gold and silver flow out, it will be as if the blood is sucked out day by day, weak and withered, and it is almost irredead. Britain, France, the United States and Germany do not have the heart to benefit our land. We can only take our money every day. Therefore, the loss of money is an invisible danger, which is very related.

Since the establishment of the treaty system in China, Chinese people generally only pay attention to the amount of tariff revenue on tariff issues, and do not pay attention to the export and import status of customs. As a time-traveler, Li Xiang sighed with emotion about the rise and fall of taxes and the output. He pointed out: "The amount of taxes is not important to the country, but more gold and silver are exported than imported, so people's livelihood is embarrassed and the country's plan is in danger. Wealth is the source of life, which leads to others, and the people are poor and chaotic.

Li Xiang secretly refers to yesterday's Taiping Heavenly Kingdom, today's Xinhai Revolution, and the new democratic revolution buried tomorrow.

The root cause of the national crisis is that the tax rules are agreed upon by others. If the tax is independent, the import of goods is re-imported, and the money output is not much, there will be no such a dilemma. He stressed again: "The phrase 'tax rules are self-determined' is the safety of the whole country, and you can't be careless."

In Li, the autonomy of tax rules is the premise, and the tax increase is a means. The purpose is to prevent the loss of customs money, which is related to the national economy and people's livelihood, so as to raise the tariff issue from a pure economic problem to the height of national sovereignty.

"Another clause that is as important and harmful as tariff issues is extraterresultary jurisdiction, which is extremely uneven in the world. The person who is in charge of foreign exile is a unique phenomenon in Asia, which has obvious infringing nature and is called extraterrial jurisdiction in the West. For this reason, Li Xiang explained: "Extraterritory legal power means that there is the right to practice law outside the place where it is governed. Although extraterricial jurisdiction embodies the principle of bisciprocity in treaties, in fact it is not fair, because the criminal law is more important than the other, the prohibition is different from the other, and the interests are different from Peter. The infringement of extraterrarian jurisdiction also affects the management of local people. Some non-French people rely on foreign forces to prohibit corruption, but because of the provisions of the treaty that merchants are under the jurisdiction of consuls, Western consuls regard the concession as a place of co-governance. In the case of mutual litigation between natives, the consul also participated in the discussion. As soon as the government imposed a ban, the concession became the owner of the escape. This is already an extra-French usage, and the power is beyond the power. I have never heard of it in the treaty, and I have not known it outside.

Song Jiaoren couldn't help but be stunned and frowned and said, "The treaties concluded between China and Western countries are all powerful and then negotiated. It's time to take my money and bribes and hurt my rights and interests. It's time to reconcise the treaty. But what can be achieved in Hankou may not be accurate in the whole country. It is better to preside over the negotiation of changing the treaty step by step. In the first step, the central issue is to amend the draft treaty, and then the Nanjing government will send the revised draft treaty to the ministers in China.

There are two reasons why Song Jiaoren is in favor of the change of contract. One is the advantages and disadvantages of diplomacy and is unwilling to be insulted, and the other is the serious situation of the loss of money in customs.

Li Xiangzheng said, "That's right. Tell me how to draft this draft.

This is Song Jiaoren's major. Of course, Li wants to ask him.

Song Jiaoren laughed and said, "After the release of the new draft treaty, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs sent a letter to the ministers in China, attaching the revised draft treaty, hoping that the ministers of all countries would forward the draft to their governments separately, and hoped that governments would send plenipotentiaries to negotiate as soon as possible to conclude a new treaty as soon as possible on the basis of the draft, but not Including the Minister of Japan and Russia to China.

Li wants to nod. The revision of the contract will directly affect the relationship between Japan and Russia and China. China changes the contract and consults with Western countries, but it is the right thing to do not care about the neighboring Japan and Russia. In terms of military tactics, it is a distant and close attack.

Song Jiaoren continued: "The new draft is intended for revision. In the management of business and trade tax regulations, its manuscript must be very detailed and fair, which is roughly the common constitution of Western countries. If all countries follow this trip, it will be unharmed. He also said, "The revised draft of the treaty sent to the ministers in China includes the revised treaty and the draft note, and the draft and appendix of the Trade and Navigation Treaty. The appendices include the import tax, the draft import tax rate, the tonnage rules, the Yokohama Port Rules, etc. Its main points are roughly divided into two major issues: finance and trial, that is, the two major issues of tax power and legal power. Specifically, it focuses on the restoration of some legal and tax rights first. As far as legal rights are concerned, administrative rules such as Hong Kong rules, gun hunting rules, and quarantine rules should be applicable to foreigners, and legal and judicial organizations should be rectified and made owned by China. As far as tax rights are concerned, the agreed tax rate should be abolished, dozens of important imported goods should be limited, and the tariff rate should be agreed.

Li Xiang listened very carefully. He was originally a little more attentive to Song Jiaoren's step-by-step plan. At this time, he couldn't help nodding and saying kindness: "Although the introduction is not very specific, it reflects the spirit of the draft amendment. This draft can undoubtedly lay the basic policy of China's negotiation."

"It's just... the object of the treaty reform negotiations is European and American countries, and the attempt to modify the unequal treaty system imposed by European and American countries backed by force." Song Jiaoren said coldly.

Li Xiang has always been optimistic about the prospect of changing the contract. He smiled and said, "There is a whole country's joint efforts, and according to Western practice, it will not cause war because of tax problems. What's more, it is still this extraordinary period. In the end, it is difficult for countries to refuse, and we can't help but change it separately."

This is his experience in recovering the Hankou Concession. Among the unequal treaty clauses, which are extremely harmful and hidden are the two major provisions of the agreement tariffs and extraterresultary jurisdiction. Li thought and sighed, "Our Asian countries have not known this situation before, so they have suffered a lot."

Song Jiaoren did not answer immediately. He only half closed his eyes and fell into deep thinking. He sighed for a long time, "I should have thought of it, maybe it's true!"

Song Jiaoren was in high spirit at this time, and his heart, which was hit by the battle of the cabinet, became active again, as if he had found the goal to fight for again.