The Republic of China and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, desiring to re-establish normal relations with each other, have agreed to conclude an agreement on general principles for the settlement
of the questions between the two countries, and have to that end named as their Plenipotentiaries, that is to say:
His Excellency the President of the Republic of China:
Vi Kyuin Wellington Koo.
The Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics:
Lev Mikhailovitch Karakhan.
Who, having communicated to each other their respective full powers, found to be in good and due form, have agreed upon the following Articles:
ARTICLE I.—Immediately upon the signing of the present Agreement, the normal diplomatic and consular relations between the two Contracting Parties shall be re-established.
The Government of the Republic of China agrees to take the necessary steps to transfer to the Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics the Legation and Consular buildings formerly belonging to the Tsarist Government.
ARTICLE II.—The Governments of the two Contracting Parties agree to hold, within one month after the signing of the present Agreement, a conference which shall conclude and carry out detailed arrangements relative to the questions in accordance with the principles as provided in the following Articles.
Such detailed arrangement shall be completed as soon as possible and, in any case, not later than six months from the date of the opening of the Conference as provided in the preceding paragraph.
ARTICLE III.—The Governments of the two Contracting Parties agree to annul at the Conference as provided in the preceding Article, all Conventions, Treaties, Agreements, Protocols, Contracts, et cetera, concluded between the Government of China and the Tsarist Government, and to replace them with new treaties, agreements, et cetera, on the basis of equality, reciprocity and justice, as well as the spirit of the Declarations of the Soviet Governments of the years of 1919 and 1920.
ARTICLE IV.—The Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, in accordance with its policy and Declarations of 1919 and 1920, declares that all Treaties, Agreements, et cetera, concluded between the former Tsarist Government and any third party or parties effecting the sovereign rights or interests of China, are null and void.
The Governments of both Contracting Parties declare that in future neither Government will conclude any treaties or agreements which prejudice the sovereign rights or interests of either Contracting Party.
ARTICLE V.—The Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics recognizes that Outer Mongolia is an integral part of the Republic of China and respects China's sovereignty therein.
The Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics declares that as soon as the questions for the withdrawal of all the troops of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics from Outer Mongolia—namely, as to the time-limit of the withdrawal of such troops and the measures to be adopted in the interests of the safety of the frontiers—are agreed upon at the Conference as provided in Article II. of the present Agreement it will effect the complete withdrawal of all the troops of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics from Outer Mongolia.
ARTICLE VI.—The Governments of the two Contracting Parties mutually pledge themselves not to permit within their respective territories the existence and/or activities of any organizations or groups whose aim is to struggle by acts of violence against the Governments of either Contracting Party.
The Governments of the two Contracting Parties further pledge themselves not to engage in propaganda directed against the political and social systems of either Contracting Party.
ARTICLE VII.—The Governments of the two Contracting Parties agree to redemarcate their national boundaries at the Conference as provided in Article II. of the present Agreement, and pending such redemarcation, to maintain the present boundaries.
ARTICLE VIII.—The Governments of the two Contracting Parties agree to regulate at the aforementioned Conference the questions relating to the navigation of rivers, lakes, and other bodies of water which are common to their respective frontiers, on the basis of equality and reciprocity.
ARTICLE IX.—The Governments of the two Contracting Parties agree to settle at the aforementioned Conference the question of the Chinese Eastern Railway in conformity with the principles as hereinafter provided:
(1) The Governments of the two Contracting Parties declare that the Chinese Eastern Railway is a purely commercial enterprise.
The Governments of the two Contracting Parties mutually declare that with the exception of matters pertaining to the business operations which are under the direct control of the Chinese Eastern Railway, all other matters affecting the right of the National and the Local Governments of the Republic of China—such as judicial matters, mat-
[Page 861 was transcribed with GPT (Codex CLI), not Claude.]
ters relating to civil administration, military administration, police, municipal government, taxation, and landed property (with the exception of lands required by the said Railway)—shall be administered by the Chinese Authorities.
(2) The Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics agrees to the redemption by the Government of the Republic of China, with Chinese Capital, of the Chinese Eastern Railway, as well as all appurtenant properties, and to the transfer to China of all shares and bonds of the said Railway.
(3) The Governments of the two Contracting Parties shall settle at the Conference as provided in Article II. of the present Agreement the amount and conditions governing the redemption as well as the procedure for the transfer of the Chinese Eastern Railway.
(4) The Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics agrees to be responsble for the entire claims of the shareholders, bondholders and creditors of the Chinese Eastern Railway incurred prior to the Revolution of March 9th, 1916.
(5) The Governments of the two Contracting Parties mutually agree that the future of the Chinese Eastern Railway shall be determined by the Republic of China and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics, to the exclusion of any third party or parties.
(6) The Governments of the two Contracting Parties agree to draw up an arrangement for the provisional management of the Chinese Eastern Railway pending the settlement of the questions as provided under Section (3) of the present Article.
(7) Until the various questions relating to the Chinese Eastern Railway are settled at the Conference as provided in Article II. of the present Agreement, the rights of the two Governments arising out of the Contract of August 27th, September 8th, 1896, for the Construction and Operation of the Chinese Eastern Railway, which do not conflict with the present Agreement and the Agreement for the Provisional Management of the said Railway and which do not prejudice China's rights of sovereignty, shall be maintained.
ARTICLE X.—The Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics agrees to renounce the special rights and privileges relating to all concessions in any part of China acquired by the Tsarist Government under various Conventions, Treaties, Agreements, et cetera.
ARTICLE XI.—The Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics agrees to renounce the Russian portion of the Boxer Indemnity.
ARTICLE XII.—The Government of the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics agrees to relinquish the rights of extraterritoriality and consular jurisdiction.
ARTICLE XIII.—The Governments of the two Contracting Parties agree to draw up simultaneously with the conclusion of a Commercial Treaty at the Conference as provided in Article II. of the present Agreement, a Customs Tariff for the two Contracting Parties in accordance with the principles of equality and reciprocity.
ARTICLE XIV—The Governments of the two Contracting Parties agree to discuss at the aforementioned Conference the questions relating to the claims for compensation of losses.
ARTICLE XV.—The present Agreement shall come into effect from the date of signature.
In witness whereof, the respective Plenipotentiaries have signed the present Agreement in duplicate in the English language and have affixed thereto their seals.
Done at the City of Peking this Thirty-first Day of the Fifth Month of the Thirteenth Year of the Republic of China, which is the Thirty-First Day of May, One Thousand Nine Hundred and Twenty-Four.
(Seal) V. K. Wellington Koo.
(Seal) L. M. Karakhan.