A Note from Mr. Sun-Pao-Ch'i, Minister of Foreign Affairs, to the Foreign Ministers at Peking from the 14th day, 10th month, 2nd year of the Republic (October 14, 1913).

As the present Import Tariff had already exceeded its ten year limit, on August 14th last year this Ministry addressed a note to the Ministers of the signatory Powers to the said Tariff at Peking, signifying China's desire to revise it.

As the Government of the Chinese Republic is now maintaining its formal and perfect relations with the friendly Powers, foreign trade with China is bound to flourish.

Therefore the aforesaid Tariff naturally should be thoroughly revised to the advantage of both (our) revenue collection and (foreign) commercial interests.

I have the honor (lit. it is my duty) therefore to communicate (it) to Your Excellency for your information and to request you to favor me with a reply, so that negotiations over the question may be conducted at the earliest possible moment.

A Note from Mr. Paul Reinsch, U. S. Minister at Peking, to Mr. Sun Pao-ch'i, Minister of Foreign Affairs, from December 20th, 1913.

In our recent conversation Your Excellency stated, with reference to the revision of the Import Tariff, that although no nations had manifested any disinclination in connection ith the communications of August 14, 1912 and October 14. 1913 from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, several nations had as yet made no reply.

I have the honor to inform Your Excellency that the proposal of the Government of the Republic of China to revise the existing Tariff in order that an effective five per cent duty may be collected meets with the approval of the American Government.