The German Chancellor was assassinated, and the Emperor has sent Prince Chun as a special envoy to Germany to offer condolences. Prince Chun has already set off. Additionally, to honor the Chancellor, a monument will be erected at the site of the assassination in accordance with his status, and construction has already begun.
Next, those officials who have harmed the people of various countries will be severely punished without mercy. On December 25 of last year and January 3 of this year, the Emperor has already issued decrees announcing their crimes. The Emperor has also ordered punishment for those provincial officials who admit their guilt. At the same time, to honor the people of various countries who lost their lives in the incident, the Emperor has ordered a five-year suspension of examinations for civil and military officials in those towns.
The Japanese secretary has also been assassinated, and the Emperor has sent the Deputy Minister of Revenue, Na Tong, as a special envoy.
The funds for the tombstones for the victims from various countries have been fully paid and will be inscribed with "Purifying the filth and avenging the insult."
The Emperor has also issued an order prohibiting the import of arms and various materials for manufacturing arms for a period of two years.
According to the edict issued on April 12 of this year, it has been decided to compensate various countries with 450 million taels of customs silver. This amount is specified in the second clause of the treaty signed on the first day of the eleventh month last year as the total compensation for all countries, associations, and individuals.
This 450 million taels of customs silver has been converted to gold at the market price. This market price is based on the varying currency exchange rates of different countries against gold. This 450 million taels, calculated at an annual interest rate of 0.4%, will be repaid within 39 years, with a detailed repayment plan attached. Both the principal and interest will be paid in gold or can be converted into gold based on the market price on the repayment date. Repayments will be made once a year, with the first repayment date set for the first day of the first month in 1902, and interest will be calculated from July 1, 1901. China can also defer the interest for the first six months, that is, the interest calculated up to the end of December 1901, to the first day of the first month in 1902, which corresponds to November 22 of the lunar calendar that year, and must repay it within three years. However, the deferred interest will also be calculated at an annual interest rate of 0.4%.
All matters concerning this debt will be processed in Shanghai. Each bank from different countries will send a representative to collectively collect the principal and interest that the Chinese government is obligated to pay, and then distribute it among everyone. If there is any interference, the respective bank must issue a receipt. The Chinese side will hand over all the total guarantee notes to the chief minister stationed in Beijing for safekeeping. This total guarantee will later be divided into individual notes, each stamped with the seal of a Chinese official. All amounts received from the guarantee each year must be entrusted to the bank directors.
The specific sources of funds for repaying the guarantee are as follows:
First, the revenue from the new customs duties. After the previous guaranteed loans' principal and interest are fully paid, the remaining money, plus an additional five percent on the value of imported goods, will be combined. As per customary practice, imported goods exempt from duties, except for rice, flour, and gold and silver, will all be included in this five percent tax revenue.
Second, all revenue from regular customs duties at various trading ports will fall under the management of the new customs.
Third, all revenue from salt taxes, except for repaying previous Western loans, will also be included.
Regarding the increase in import duties to five percent of the value of goods, all countries currently agree, but with two conditions:
First, the import taxes currently levied based on valuation must be promptly converted to a per-item tax, and the value of various goods over the past three years must be calculated. Until this change is made, the valuation method will still apply.
Second, the waterways of the North River and Huangpu must be improved. The Chinese government should allocate funds to facilitate this. This portion of the tax increase will begin to be enforced two months after this clause is signed.
Clause 7: The Qing government agrees to designate the areas of foreign embassies as exclusive residential zones, to be managed by the embassies themselves. The Chinese people are strictly prohibited from residing in the embassy zones. The embassies are also permitted to defend themselves, with the boundaries marked on the attached map. According to the terms of November 26 of last year, the Chinese government should allow countries to autonomously decide on the presence of permanent troops to protect the embassies.
Clause 8 (content not provided, unable to translate): The Qing government agrees to demolish the Dagu Fort and all forts obstructing the passage from Beijing to the seaside. This is currently under consideration.
Article 9, according to the agreement of November 26th last year, China agreed to jointly agree on several locations for troop deployment with various countries to protect the passage from Beijing to the seaside. The current locations for stationed troops are: Huangcun, Langfang, Yangcun, Tianjin, Junliangcheng, Tanggu, Lutai, Tangshan, Luancheng, Changli County, Qinhuangdao, Shanhaiguan.
Article 10, the Qing government agrees to post the following imperial edicts as notices within two years in each prefecture and county: first, the imperial edict issued on December 13th last year permanently prohibits hostility with other countries; those who violate it will face execution; second, the imperial edict issued on a certain date this year details the punishment for traitors collaborating with enemies; third, the imperial edict issued on a certain date this year suspends civil and military examinations in towns where foreign nationals have been killed or mistreated; fourth, the imperial edict of December 13th last year requires provincial governors, military officials, and officials at all levels to suppress immediately any harm to people of foreign countries within their jurisdiction; otherwise, they will be dismissed and permanently banned from employment. These imperial edicts are currently being posted throughout China.
Article 11, the Qing government agrees to negotiate on matters concerning the passage of merchant ships, improvements to be made in treaties as deemed necessary by various countries, and affairs related to various trading ports. In accordance with Article 6 on indemnities, it is agreed that China shall be responsible for the improvement of the Beihe and Huangpu waterways. The Beihe River channel is already undergoing joint repairs by foreign representatives and Chinese officials, and once returned to Tianjin, it will be jointly managed by Chinese representatives. China is obligated to pay 60,000 taels of silver to customs each year.
The Huangpu River channel is currently under renovation, and the Huangpu River Channel Bureau in charge of this project estimates that it will take several years to complete. A total of 460,000 taels of customs silver will be needed annually, with half to be paid by the Chinese government and the other half by foreign powers involved in the intervention. The responsibilities of each staff member of the river channel bureau and detailed financial information are listed in the following documents.
On the 9th day of the 6th month, the emperor issued an edict changing the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to the Foreign Ministry, and the protocols for meetings with foreign ministers have been discussed and finalized. It is hereby specifically mentioned.
The above-mentioned statements and the documents sent by foreign ministers attached at the end are all provided in French.
