不平等條約

First attested in volume 73 of 新民叢報 [1906]:

1906 February, 希白, “上海領事裁判及會審制度”, in 新民叢報, volume 73, page 32:

• 一言蔽之，則領事裁判權者，實不平等條約之結果也。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

  ---

  一言蔽之，则领事裁判权者，实不平等条约之结果也。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

  Yīyánbìzhī, zé lǐngshì cáipànquán zhě, shí bùpíngděng tiáoyuē zhī jiéguǒ yě. [Pinyin]

  In short, the granting of extraterritorial jurisdiction to foreign consulates is, in reality, a consequence of unequal treaties.

However, the concept of unequal treaty dates back earlier. An instance of referring to treaties (條約／条约) as unequal (不平等) can be found in an article translated from a Japanese newspaper article and published in 時務報 in 1897:

1897, “日本外交標準”, in 時務報, volume 20, page 28:

• 我國與歐美諸邦訂盟，誤作不平等之條約。邇來實四十餘年，為其所屈，苦已極矣。然我國重邦交之義，守公私交際之法，今也盡行改訂，而所餘者，唯奧國耳。 [Classical Chinese, trad.]

  ---

  我国与欧美诸邦订盟，误作不平等之条约。迩来实四十余年，为其所屈，苦已极矣。然我国重邦交之义，守公私交际之法，今也尽行改订，而所余者，唯奥国耳。 [Classical Chinese, simp.]

  Wǒguó yǔ ōuměi zhū bāng dìngméng, wù zuò bùpíngděng zhī tiáoyuē. Ěrlái shí sìshí yú nián, wéi qí suǒ qū, kǔ yǐ jí yǐ. Rán wǒguó zhòng bāngjiāo zhī yì, shǒu gōngsī jiāojì zhī fǎ, jīn yě jìnxíng gǎidìng, ér suǒ yú zhě, wéi Àoguó ěr. [Pinyin]

  (please add an English translation of this quotation)

The concept of unequal treaties gained traction towards the conclusion of World War I and was subsequently popularized by Sun Yat-sen in 1923, leading to its widespread usage.

不平等條約

1. unequal treaty (treaty forced upon weaker nations by imperialist power)

   帝國主義列強強加給中國一系列不平等條約。 [MSC, trad.]
   帝国主义列强强加给中国一系列不平等条约。 [MSC, simp.]

   Dìguózhǔyì lièqiáng qiángjiā gěi Zhōngguó yī xìliè bù píngděng tiáoyuē. [Pinyin]

   The imperialist powers forced a series of unequal treaties upon China.

   廢除一切不平等條約！ [MSC, trad.]
   废除一切不平等条约！ [MSC, simp.]

   Fèichú yīqiè bù píngděng tiáoyuē! [Pinyin]

   Abrogate all unequal treaties!

   不平等條約授予列強國民在華的治外法權。 [MSC, trad.]
   不平等条约授予列强国民在华的治外法权。 [MSC, simp.]

   Bù píngděng tiáoyuē shòuyǔ lièqiáng guómín zài huá de zhìwàifǎquán. [Pinyin]

   Unequal treaties granted extraterritoriality to the citizens of the great powers.

不平等條約 • (bulpyeongdeungjoyak) (hangeul 불평등조약)

1. Hanja form^? of 불평등조약 (“unequal treaty”).