Convention of Peking facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Convention of Peking |
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Signing of the treaty by Lord Elgin and Prince Gong
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| Traditional Chinese | 北京條約 | ||||||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese | 北京条约 | ||||||||||||||
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The Convention of Peking is a set of three important agreements signed in 1860. These agreements were made between the Qing dynasty of China and three other powerful countries: Great Britain, France, and the Russian Empire. In China, these agreements are often called "unequal treaties" because they were seen as unfair to China.
Contents
What Happened Before the Treaties?
On October 18, 1860, something big happened. British and French soldiers marched into Beijing, the capital city of China. This was at the end of a conflict known as the Second Opium War. China's forces had been defeated.
Why Were the Treaties Signed?
Because China had lost the war, Prince Gong had to sign the treaties for the Chinese government. He signed with Lord Elgin from Britain and Baron Gros from France. Russia was not part of the war, but Prince Gong also signed a treaty with Nikolay Ignatyev from Russia.
Why Were Palaces Burned?
Originally, the plan was to burn down the Forbidden City in Beijing. This was meant to be a punishment. However, burning the Forbidden City might have stopped the treaties from being signed. So, the plan changed. Instead, the Old Summer Palace and the Summer Palace were burned. The treaties with France and Britain were signed on October 24, 1860. This happened in the Ministry of Rites building, which was near the Forbidden City.
What Did the Treaties Say?
The Convention of Peking officially approved an earlier agreement called the Treaty of Tientsin (1858).
Changes for Hong Kong
One important part of the treaty involved the area known as Kowloon Peninsula. This land was first planned to be leased to Britain in March 1860. But a few months later, the Convention of Peking changed this. On October 24, 1860, the land was officially given to Britain forever.
Article 6 of the agreement between China and the United Kingdom stated this. China had to give Britain the southern part of Kowloon Peninsula. This included the area south of today's Boundary Street in Kowloon. It also included Stonecutters Island. These areas became part of Hong Kong forever.
Rights for Christians
Another part of the treaty was between China and France. Article 6 said that religious buildings and charities taken from Christians during difficult times had to be returned. The French Minister in China would help make sure this happened.
Land for Russia
The treaty also confirmed that a large area of land was given to the Russian Empire. This area is now called Outer Manchuria. By getting this land, Russia gained access to the Sea of Japan. This territory included the Ussuri krai, which is part of modern-day Primorye. This land was once an ancient Manchu province. You can learn more about this in the Treaty of Aigun (1858).
What About Noktundo?
The treaty also gave Russia some land that was under Korean control. One example is the island of Noktundo. At that time, and even now, it's a peninsula at the southern tip of Primorsky Krai. Koreans did not know about this until the 1880s. This was about 20 years after the treaty was signed. Korea was not part of the treaty. When Koreans found out, they protested. They argued that China had no right to give Noktundo to Russia.
What Happened After the Treaties?
Kowloon's Future
In 1984, the governments of the United Kingdom and the People's Republic of China (PRC) signed an agreement. It was called the Sino-British Joint Declaration on the Question of Hong Kong. This agreement stated that the leased territories, along with Hong Kong Island (given under the Treaty of Nanking in 1842), and Kowloon Peninsula (south of Boundary Street), would return to China. This transfer happened on July 1, 1997.
Noktundo's Unfinished Story
The situation of Noktundo is still not fully settled. This land was under Korean control since the 1600s. But it was given to Russia in the treaty without Korea knowing. Only one of the two Korean governments has agreed to a border with Russia.
North Korea and the USSR signed a border treaty in 1985. It said the border between Russia and North Korea runs through the middle of the Tumen River. This left Noktundo on the Russian side. However, South Korea does not recognize this agreement. South Korea has asked for Noktundo to be returned to Korean control.
Where Are the Original Copies?
An original copy of the Convention of Peking can be found in the National Palace Museum in Taiwan.
See also
- Second Convention of Peking
- History of Hong Kong
- Western imperialism in Asia
