Chinese militia and French officers in the French leased territory of Kwangchow Wan.

Kwangchow Wan, which literally means “Guangzhou Bay,” is a coastal area in Guangdong Province that France occupied for 46 years. Under the unequal treaty Territory of Kwangchow Wan signed in 1899, the Qing Dynasty (1616-1911) ceded Kwangchow Wan to France as a leased territory. The treaty included seven terms, such as the length of tenancy, the geographical scope, jurisdiction, port access and other issues. The treaty provided a “legal basis” for French occupation. However, its ambiguities often led to disputes between the two countries over borders and tax issues.

Border dispute

Shortly after taking over the territory, France argued that the territorial scope was overly limited. The French Foreign Ministry negotiated with the Qing government, requesting that it “expand the scope of the territory by merging the commercial center Meilu or obtaining the right to build a railway across Leizhou Peninsula.” The Qing government refused, but France still sought to broaden its range of administration in the territory, which resulted in frequent disputes between the two countries that carried over into the Republican Period.

To develop business in South China, the French administrator of Kwangchow Wan built a highway. The construction, however, overstepped the boundary of the territory. France also attempted to build a port, once again complicating the border issue. These measures not only infringed upon China’s territorial sovereignty but also severely affected the incomes of the local residents.

People from all walks of life urged the Qing government to safeguard national sovereignty. Ultimately, French authorities caved to the demands of the Qing government and gave up their construction ambitions.

Tax conflict

Since French jurisdiction and Chinese autonomy in the Kwangchow Wan territory were not clearly defined in the treaty, the two countries also had severe disputes over taxes.

In 1913, the French envoy asserted that Kwangchow Wan belongs to France, and the administration within the territory ought to strictly conform to what is laid out in the treaty. He demanded China not intervene. In 1914, the civilian merchants in Kwangchow Wan, angered by France’s breach of contract on taxes, again asked the Guangdong provincial government to resolve the tax problem, even claiming that “If the request is not met, all the Chinese people in Kwangchow Wan would leave out of the border.” Sun Baoqi, the foreign minister and premier of the Republic of China, wrote to the French envoy, demanding that he cancel the tax. However, a new law was later promulgated by the administrative head of the territory requiring each resident in Kwangchow Wan to pay a tax of 4 yuan per year. This triggered another protest from locals. And the Chinese Ministry of Foreign Affairs also lodged a protest to the French side. Due to continued resistance, France decided to abandon the tax.

However, in 1936, the French administrators once again announced they would levy a tax on the Poteou District. A barren land, the Poteou District suffered from both flood and drought. Due to a poor rice harvest, the locals were incapable of paying the tax. Reluctantly, they petitioned the French officials to request an exemption from the tax. The French responded by cracking down on the protestors. Some locals were gunned down. Seven died and 15 were wounded in what came to be known as the Kwangchow Wan Massacre. Later on, the supporters’ association represented by Kwangchow Wan locals was established. The delegates from the association, with flags in their hands, petitioned the Guangdong provincial government, drawing widespread attention. In 1937, the fallout from Kwangchow Wan Massacre was finally resolved. The French side accepted the request from China and banned the tax in Kwangchow Wan.

Guo Kangqiang is from the School of History and Culture at South China Normal University.