Excellency,

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency’s note of this day’s date, in which you stated that respecting the provisions contained in Article 1 of the Treaty relating to South Manchuria and Eastern Inner Mongolia, signed this day, the term of lease of Port Arthur and Dalny shall expire in the 86th year of the Republic or 1997.  The date for restoring the South Manchurian Railway to China shall fall due in the 91st year of the Republic or 2002.  Article 12 in the original South Manchurian Railway Agreement providing that it may be redeemed by China after 36 years from the day on which the traffic is opened, is hereby cancelled.  The term of the Antung-Mukden Railway shall expire in the 96th year of the Republic or 2007.

In reply I beg to state that I have taken note of the same.

I avail, etc.,

(Signed) Hioki Eki.

His Excellency, Lou Tseng-tsiang, Minister of Foreign Affairs.

Exchange of notes respecting the opening of ports in eastern
inner Mongolia

—­Note—­Peking, the 25th day of the 5th month of the 4th year of the Republic of China.

Monsieur le Ministre,

I have the honour to state that the places which ought to be opened as Commercial Ports by China herself, as provided in Article 6 of the Treaty respecting South Manchuria and Eastern Inner Mongolia signed this day, will be selected, and the regulations therefor, will be drawn up, by the Chinese Government itself, a decision concerning which will be made after consulting the Minister of Japan.

I avail, etc.,

(Signed) Lou Tseng-tsiang.

His Excellency, Hioki Eki, Japanese Minister.

—­Reply—­Peking, the 25th day of the 5th month of the 4th year of
Taisho.

Excellency,

I have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of Your Excellency’s note of this day’s date in which you stated “that the places which ought to be opened as Commercial Ports by China herself, as provided in Article 6 of the Treaty respecting South Manchuria and Eastern Inner Mongolia signed this day, will be selected, and the regulations therefor, will be drawn up, by the Chinese Government itself, a decision concerning which will be made after consulting the Minister of Japan.”

In reply, I beg to state that I have taken note of the same.

I avail, etc.,

(Signed) Hioki Eki.

His Excellency, Lou Tseng-tsiang, Minister of Foreign Affairs.

SOUTH MANCHURIA

—­Note—­Peking, the 25th day of the 5th month of the 4th year of the Republic of China.

Monsieur le Ministre,

I have the honour to state that Japanese subjects shall, as soon as possible, investigate and select mines in the mining areas in South Manchuria specified hereinunder, except those being prospected for or worked, and the Chinese Government will then permit them to prospect or work the same; but before the Mining regulations are definitely settled, the practice at present in force shall be followed.  Provinces Fengtien:—­