Concession (territory)

In international law, a concession is a territory within a country that is administered by another entity than the state which holds sovereignty over it. This is usually a colonizing power, or at least mandated by one, as in the case of colonial Chartered companies.

Usually, it is conceded, that is, allowed or even surrendered by a weaker state to a stronger power. For example, the politically weak and militarily helpless Qing China in the 19th century was forced to sign several so-called Unequal Treaties (by analogy with private contract law, their validity has been contested because of force majeure) by which it gave, among other rights, territorial concessions to numerous colonial powers, European as well as Japan, creating a whole host of concessions in China in addition to even more numerous treaty ports where China retained territorial control.

However, just as with permanent sales of territory, there are cases when concession has been entered upon voluntarily by a power which could have resisted the demand, believing the arrangement to their mutual interest, or as part of a more complexly balanced deal.

In the many cases where the terms of the contract (be it in the form of a treaty between states) provides for similar terms as an ordinary property lease, notably a term limited in time and usually an indemnity sum, the territory can be called more precisely a lease territory or leased territory. Many of the concessions in China were leased.

The term is not to be confused with 'territorial concession', which applies to any clause in a treaty whereby a power renounces control over any territory, usually in the form of a full and indefinite transfer, often without any indemnity.

Austrian concession holders

• One of the Concessions in Tianjin (then known as Tientsin) .

Belgian concession holders

• The Guatemalan parliament issued a decree on May 4 1843 by virtue of which the district of Santo Tomas was given "in perpetuity" to the Compagnie belge de colonisation, a private Belgian company under the protection of King Leopold I. Belgian colonizing efforts ceased after a few years, due to the lack of financial means and the harsh climate. (1843)
• The Lado enclave, in the Anglo-Egyptian Sudan, leased to the Congo Free State (not a part of Belgium itself, but in a personal union with Belgium under King Leopold II) (1894-1910)
• Belgian Concession in Tianjin (1902-1929)

British concession holders

Held by the British authorities

• While Hong Kong was ceded to Britain by the Empire of China in 1841-42, and on 24 October 1860 the Kowloon Peninsula and Stonecutters Island were ceded by China at the Treaty of Peking (British annexation 4 February 1861), on 9 June 1898 the New Territories (comprising areas north of Kowloon along with 230 small islands) were leased from China for 99 years as a concession. On 19 December 1984 the UK agreed to restore all of Hong Kong -including the territories ceded in perpetuity- to China on 1 July 1997.
• On 20 November 1846 a British concession in Shanghai (in China) was established (after 16 June 1842 - 29 August 1842 British occupation of Shanghai, since 17 November 1843 a Treaty Port); on 27 November 1848 this Concession was expanded, but on 21 September 1863 (after the 1862 proposal to make Shanghai an independent "free city" was rejected) an International Settlement in Shangai was created by union of the American and British concessions (consummated in December 1863).
• The British concession in Tientsin, in which the trade centred, was situated on the right bank of the river Peiho below the native city, occupying some 200 acres. It was held on a lease in perpetuity granted by the Chinese government to the British Crown, which sublet plots to private owners in the same way as at Hankow. The local management was entrusted to a municipal council organized on lines similar to those which obtain at Shanghai.
• On 1 July 1898, Liukung Island (in Weihaiwei Bay, since 30 January 1895 - 1898 occupied by Japan) and Weihaiwei were leased by Britain from imperial China, until Weihaiwei was returned to China on 1 October 1930; it retained a separate administration until 1938.

Privately held

• Tati Concessions Land 1872-1911, in a small part of present Botswana, detached from the Matabele kingdom

French concessions

• Kwangchowan (Kwangchowwan) since 27 May 1898 French leased territory (under a French Administrateur, subordinated to Tonkin in French Indochina, now in Vietnam; June 1940 - February 1943 loyal to Free France) as territoire de Kouang-Tchéou-Wan, till in February 1943 the French concession is relinquished to the Japanese sponsored Chinese National Government by Vichy France (not recognized by the Free French, nor by the Republic of China), February 1943 - September 1945 occupied by Japan; on 28 February 1946 formally returned to China by France.
• 6 April 1849 French concession in Shanghai (since 17 November 1843 a Treaty Port) established; 17 July 1854 Municipal Council established.
• French concession in Tianjin (then known as Tientsin)
• French concession in Hankou
• French concession in Guangzhou (then known as Canton)

German concessions

• Qingdao, on 6 March 1898 leased 'for 99 years' to Germany (as Kiaochow = Tsingtao) Bay (Kiautschou) already occupied by Germany since 14 November 1897); on 23 August 1914 imperial China cancelled the German lease, only to find it since 7 November 1914 occupied by Japan.
• one the Concessions in Tianjin (then known as Tientsin)

Italian concessions

• A concession in Tientsin (Tianjin) was conceded to the kingdom of Italy by imperial China on 7 September 1901. It was administered by Rome's Consul and had a population of 6,261 in 1935, including 536 foreigners.

On 10 September 1943 it was occupied by Japan; in 1943 Mussolini's (Fascist, virtually fictitious) Italian Social Republic relinquished the concession to the Japanese-sponsored puppet 'Chinese National Government' (recognized by Kingdom of Italy nor Republic of China). On 10 February 1947 the zone was formally returned to China by Italy.

Japanese concessions

• Kwantung (Port Arthur, Lüshun), formerly Russian concession (see below) from imperial China, until 2 January 1905 when occupied by Japan, since 5 September 1905 Japanese leased territory (Kwantung Territory), Port Arthur was renamed Ryojun, since 12 April 1919 a Civil administration replaced the military one; since 22 August 1945 occupied by the Soviet Union, September 1945 - 11 October 1955 under joint rule by Soviet Union and (then fellow communist People's Republic of) China, till on 11 October 1955 fully re-incorporated into China.
• one the Concessions in Tianjin (then known as Tientsin).

Portuguese concessions

• Macau was leased from the empire of China.

Russian concessions

• Kwantung (Port Arthur), since 27 December 1897 occupied by imperial Russia, on 27 March 1898 Port Arthur became the Russian leased territory of Kwantung (Kvantunskaya oblast, i.e. imperial province), since 12 August 1903 seat of Russian Viceroyalty of the Far East, until 2 January 1905 when occupied by Japan, since 5 September 1905 Japanese leased territory (Kwantung Territory)
• one of the Concessions in Tianjin (then known as Tientsin).
• Hanko (Hangö in Swedish), a peninsula near the Finnish capital Helsinki, was leased for a period of 30 years by the Soviet Union from its northwestern neighbour -and former possesion in personal union- Finland for use as as a naval base in the Baltic Sea, near the entry of the Gulf of Finland, under the Moscow Peace Treaty that ended the Winter War on 6 March 1940; during the Continuation War, Soviet troops were forced to evacuate Hanko in early December 1941, and the USSR formally renounced the lease -early given the original term till 1970- in the Paris peace treaty of 1947. -- The role of the Hanko naval base was replaced by Porkkala, another Finnish peninsula, a bit farther east at the Gulf of Finland, in the armistice between Finland and the Soviet Union of 19 September 1944; it was returned to Finland in January 1956. -- In both cases, the Soviets limited themselves to a military command, without any civilian administration.

U.S. concessions

• 1848/54 American concession in Shanghai (since 17 November 1843 a Treaty Port) established, till on 21 September 1863 (after the 1862 Proposal to make Shanghai an independent "free city" was rejected) an International Settlement in Shangai is created by union of the American and British concessions (consummated December 1863); see below
• Guantanamo Bay - leased from Cuba (which now disputes the lease) under 1903 and 1934 treaties in perpetuity; no civilian administration, only military command. This appears to be the last leased territory still existing in the world.

Jointly held concessions

• 21 September 1863 (after the 1862 Proposal to make Shanghai an independent "free city" was rejected) an International Settlement in Shanghai was created by union of the American and British concessions (consummated December 1863); in 1896 the concession was expanded.

On 7 July 1927 a Chinese city government of Greater Shanghai was formally established. In January/February 1931 the Japanese occupied the Hongkew district, and on 9 November 1937 the Chinese city of Shanghai, but only on 8 December 1941 Japanese troops would occupy the International Settlement (but not the French concession); it was dissolved by Japan in 1942. In February 1943 the settlement is officially abolished by the U.S. and Britain; in September 1945 the last territory is restored to China.

• Beijing Legation Quarter - a de facto concession.

Sources and references

This article incorporates text from the Encyclopædia Britannica Eleventh Edition, a publication now in the public domain.

• WorldStatesmen- also by concession holder- or by country for non-colonial territories

See also

• Chartered companies
• Treaty Port

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