1862 Treaty between Nguyen Dynasty & French Government

Phan Thanh Gian

Signed between the Court of the Nguyen (Tu Duc reign, represented by Phan Thanh Gian and Lam Duy Hiep) and the French on 5 June 1862.

The Court of the Nguyễn signed the treaty with France
The Court of the Nguyễn signed the treaty with France

It included 12 articles. The Court of the Nguyen ceded the three eastern provinces of Nam Ky (Southern Vietnam) to France (Gia Đinh, Đinh Tuong, Bien Haa), as well as Con Dao (Poulo Condore) and paid an indemnity of 20 million francs. The French and the Spanish received liberty to trade at the ports of Danang, Ba Lat, Quang Yen.

The Imperial City where the Nguyen Dynasty welcomed French delegation
The Imperial City where the Nguyen Dynasty welcomed French delegation

The French agreed to give back Vinh Long after the Court had succeeded in persuading the anti-French insurrection troops in the three ceded provinces to lay down weapons. The treaty aroused a wave of protest among the population, particularly among the patristic scholars.