近代中国不平等条约及其评判标准的探讨

A Preliminary Exploration of the Criteria for Unequal Treaties in Early Modern China

一个条约是否平等取决于两个因素:条约的缔结形式和程序是否平等;条约的内容是否对等,是否损害了中国的主权。其中尤以后者为主要根据。依据该标准来统计,近代中国订立了343个不平等条约,与近代中国签订不平等条约的国家有23个。

Researchers do not agree on how many unequal treaties China conceded in early modern times or on the criteria for determining which treaties were unequal.On the basis of a systematic examination of known treaties of this period,and distinguishing between treaties and non-treaties,the author proposes two determinants of whether a treaty was unequal:first,whether it was concluded on a basis of equality in terms of form and procedure,and second,whether its content accorded with equality or violated China's sovereignty.Measured by the latter criterion,a particularly important one,China signed 343 unequal treaties with 23 countries from 1842 on.