Famine Relief and Diplomacy:The Development and Evolution of the Customs Relief Surtax by the Peking Government in the 1920s
In the early 1920s,North China suffered widespread famine due to drought.In order to raise relief funds,the Chinese government proposed to the Diplomatic Body a plan to levy additional customs surtax to mortgage loans.Although there are differences of opinion among the ministers within the diplomatic Body,taking into account commercial interests,the relationship with China and humanitarian factors,they succes-sively agreed to this request,but also put forward many additional conditions.Since then,this model has also been applied to famine relief activities in southern provinces.In terms of specific implementation,due to the disagreements between the Chinese and foreign countries on the supervision,distribution,target and time limit of surtax,with the resistance of foreign merchants,the actual effect of the additional surtax was greatly reduced.Limited concessions in economic policy and strong intervention in famine relief affairs went hand in hand,which was a reflection of the characteristics of their post-World War I coordinated diplomacy with China.
Peking Government of Republican ChinaFamineCustoms Relief SurtaxDiplomatic BodyForeign Merchants
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