China (1900 - 1911)
Russia (Denis)
France (George)
UK (Iva) 🚩
Japan (Teddy)
Germany (Yoana)
specific goals
policies
actions/measures
specific goals
policies
(economic) Access to Chinese markets for British manufactured goods; sell opium despite Chinese growing opposition to trade
have more influence in East Asia
Franco-Japanese Treaty (1907)
Maintaining treaty rights, allowing them to operate under their own laws and jurisdiction, undermining Chinese sovereignty
more territory
Access to ports and trade routes, particularly vital port cities of Hong Kong and Shanghai
Boxer Rebellion (1900) - Chinese anti-foreign and anti-Christian movement. British forces participated in the Eight-Nation Alliance to suppress the rebellion & protect their nationals
Preventing further colonization by other imperial powers, particularly Russia and Japan
Open Door Policy - aimed to ensure equal access to Chinese markets for all foreign powers
British diplomats engaged with Chinese officials and leaders to maintain influence over Chinese affairs. Negotiating with the Chinese government to secure concessions and rights for British businesses, incl. mining and railing concessions
Li Yuanhong
Henry Northcote
more resources
Russo-Japanese War (1904-1905)
Cause: territorial advance, target: Manchuria (Korea) and Sakhalin Island -- both Russia and Japan wanted to have more influence in East Asia
Why Manchuria? Great resources, fruitful soil, great connectivity to other important for trade territories
Treaty of Portsmouth (1905)
New territories for Japan: parts of Manchuria and Korea, Port Arthur, southern part of Sakhalin Island
support of the Open Door Policy
have more access to the Chinese markets
(not directly related to China) Annexation of Korea (1910-1945)
Korean language is forbidden and is replaced by Japanese
Introduction of Japanese agriculture
In schools, history was closely monitored. Korean sources were forbidden.
Korean culture was replaced by Japanese heritage.
Economic dominance: higher connectivity, better situated trading points
Establishment of South Manchuria Railway Company
maintaining peace in particular Chinese regions close to their own borders
Japanese regions under protection: Manchuria, Mongolia, and Fukien Province
French regions under protection: Yunnan, Guangxi, and Guangdong Province
Influence: Japan managed to secure its territorial gains in China
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Specific goals
Policies
Establishing territorial concessions through treaties that provided a certain degree of control and authority for Germany over regions in China
Germany promoted educational and cultural exchanges with China, which aimed to spread the German language and culture
Economic interests
Access to recourses
military and political influence
Access to Chinese markets, especially industrial goods
Extraction of raw materials
Actions and measures
Building new ports and turning them into naval bases
Counterbalancing the influence that other colonial powers had in China
Boxer Protocol(1901)
Following the Boxer rebellion, the Boxer Protocol was negotiated between Western powers and the Qing dynasty, giving them permission to station foreign troops in Beijing
Anglo-German Agreement (1900)
This agreement between the United Kingdom and Germany aimed to prevent conflict between the two powers regarding China
Open Door Policy-promoting equal economic and trading opportunities for all foreign powers
Development of railways
Sources
https://www.gale.com/binaries/content/assets/gale-us-en/primary-sources/archives-unbound/primary-sources_-archives-unbound_european-colonialism-in-the-early-20th-century_german-colonies-in-asia-and-the-pacific_from-colonialism-to-japanese-mandates.pdf
Boxer Protocol, 1901 | US-China Institute. china.usc.edu/boxer-protocol-1901.
The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica. “Boxer Rebellion | Significance, Combatants, and Facts.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Aug. 2023, www.britannica.com/event/Boxer-Rebellion. . “Unequal Treaty | Chinese History, Imperialism and Consequences.” Encyclopedia Britannica, 20 July 1998, www.britannica.com/event/Unequal-Treaty.
Specific Goals of Russia
Control of Manchuria: Manchuria provided access to the Pacific Ocean and was rich in natural resources, and thus provided an area of interest for the Russian Empire. This led to the Russian invasion of Manchuria and the subsequent Russo-Japanese war for expansion in Eurasia.
Expansion of Influence: The Trans-Siberian railway had the goal of facilitating easier access for Russia towards the Far East. Russia also focused on controlling the region of Manchuria.
Spheres of influence: Russia wanted to create spheres of influence in China and to have a say in Chinese domestic affairs. The weakened Chinese government had to allow Russia to establish its spheres of influence.
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Policies of Russia
Competition with Japan: Russia was engaged in a geopolitical rivalry with Japan over control in Manchuria and northeastern China. This led to the Russo-Japanese war, which resulted in a Japanese victory and the signing of the treaty of Portsmouth, which made Russia cede Port Arthur and southern Manchuria to Japan.
Construction of the Trans-Siberian railway: Russia wanted to create a railway connecting Moscow to Vladivostok, which would be key to transporting goods to the Russian Far East, particularly Manchuria
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Concrete actions of Russia
Economic concessions: Russia secured economic concessions from the Qing Dynasty, which allowed Russian businesses to have privileged access to Chinese territories and resources. The Li-Lobanov treaty of 1896 granted Russia economic control over Port Arthur and Dalian.
Infrastructure development: russia invested in the Chinese Eastern railway
Sino-Japanese War (1894-95)
due to Chino-Japanese compromise, both countries aided in the Korean rebellions
BUT! no troops retreated => Sino-Japanese War
Chino-Japanese compromise for the lands in Korea (1885): no sending of troops without the warning of the other country
Boxer Rebellion (1900)
Anglo-Japanese Alliance (1902)
Specific goals
Policies
French traders and merchants set themselves up on treaty ports, in order to expand and explore their economic interests, much like the other countries in China
Supress the Boxer Rebelion and ensure the safety of French citizens in China
Treaty with Japan (French-Japan Entente o 1907) which led to Japan's recognition of France's points of colonial interests
Southern China
Yunnan
Guangxi
France recognises Japan's spheres of influence
Guandong
Korea
Mongolia
South Manchuria
BUT! Chinese influence increased in Korea by the 1890s
Get Japan loans, in condition that Japan respected China's open-door policy
Let Chinese students continue and expand on their studies in France, as well as recruited Chinese workers in french companies
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Actions of France
Race to Yunnan
Started a race with Britain as to who would have the greater market influence over China
In order to do so, the French government directed their finances into bulding a railroad, that would connect China and Yunnan, while elso giving them opportunity to explore Southwestern China
Race was between Framce and their colony in Indo-China and Britain and their colony in Burma
The French started building the railroad in 1901 from Haiphong, Vietnam
The French ended up winning the race in 1910, even with slight labour problems