During the latter period of the seventeenth century the emperor Khang-hsi(康熙) of the Ching(淸) dynasty established a neutral zone located between Korea and China i.e. that portion of territory lying to the north-west of the Yalu. This territory is known as West Kanto (西間島). Both Korean and Chinese were forbidden entry to this area without official authorization; however they were permitted access to and to live in the vicinity of four gates which formed the only entrance to this neutral zone. Also the inhabitations, located at those gates, provided accomodation to the various diplomatic missions passing to and fro from Korea and China. However, especially in time of famine, whole groups from the Chinese provinces of Shan-tung(山東省) and Wha-pei(華北) migrated to this area. Finally these migrations were given tacit approval by the Ching authorities. Howerver the Koreans regarded this territory as theirs and hence migrated to the mid-section of the Yalu. To determin the territorial boundary between Korea and China, a conference was held. Even while this conference was in session many destitutes from north Korea migrated to this neutral zone. Accordingly the Korean government annexed this area to the counties of Kang-kye(江界), Cho-san(楚山), Cha-sung(慈城) and Hu-chang(厚昌) for administration purpose. On the contrary the Ching authorities established administrative districts comprising of Tung-hua(通和), Kuan-tien(寬甸) and Huai-ren(懷仁) counties in order to drive out the Korean emigrants. Both the Chinese and Korean administrative districts were centered in the same area. The Ching authorities encouraged the immigration of Chinese to this area where Koreans outnumbered the Chinese by as much as 3 or 4 to 1. Despite the fact that Koreans only inhabited the upper portion of the Yalu, Chinese authorities established the counties of Lin-Chiang(臨江) and Chi-an(緝安) in this area in order to expell the Koreans. Following the Rosso-Japanese War, Korea had to forfeit all diplomatic rights to the Japanese governor-general of Korea. Initially the Japanese governor-general of Korea maintained the same stand with the previous Korean government on the ownership of West Kanto. As a result, the Ching authorities suddenly endeavoured to develop West Kanto, where many Korean emigrant dwelt and also where the rightful ownership of territory was uncertain, in order to acquire the vested rights on it. The Chinese authorities established the district of Chang-pai-fu(長白府) to which they sent military troops. Here felling operations of the forests were encouraged together with the cultivation of the soil. They continued to encourage the migration of Chinese famers and marchants to this area and to facilitate this they constructed a road system. The Chinese military suppressed the Korean inhabitants and prevented Koreans from further immigration. The Ching authorities surveyed the Korean-Chinese frontier which adjoined, the Yalu but rather than confining themselves to the boundary formed by the Yalu they determined the border to be formed by the Poto River(葡萄江) and thereby extended their territories. Historically the Chinese retain no rights to ownership of West Kanto. The territory of West Kanto was never exposed to Chines influence in the political, economical and social sphere. Far 3,000 years the Koreans exercied control over West Kanto. The Koreans are the true owners of West Kanto while the Chinese are merely intruders.
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