Information
AboutU.S.ForeignPolicyon China
This cartoon shows a Chinesedragon that has been slain by foreign
powers, including Germany, France, Russia,Great Britain, and the
United States.
During the 1800sthe United Stateshad
a growing interest in China. American
businessmenwanted to take part in
lucrative trade in China, and missionaries
wanted to convert the Chinese to
Christianity. In the late 1800s the ruting
Manchu dynasty in China grew weak and
unstable. China's military power was not
enough to defend it from the imperialist
interest of other nations.As a result, Russia,
Japan,Britain, France, and Germany each
took control of a specific region of China
during the last two decadesof the
nineteenthcentury.Theseregions [esam e
known as spheresof influence."
In their respectivespheres,
the imperialistnationsdemandedthat Chinagive themspecial
tradeprivilegesandleasethemland on which to build navalbasesto protecttheir
strategicinterests.
The collectivespheresof influencerestrictedU.S. participationin China.American
missionariesbeganlosingsomeof their influsase,andmanufacturers
and exportersfeared
that Chinesemarketswouldbe monopolizedby Europeans.The United Statesanne5e416"
PhilippineIslandsaftertheSpanish-American
War in 1898,andAmericansbeganto view
the islandsas steppingstonesto China.The United Statesurgedthe nationsinvolvedin
Chinato respectcertainChineserights andthe notion of tair competitionamongthose
engagedin tradein China.In 1899the United Statesaskedthe foreignpowersto respect
the following threeprinciples,togetherknown asthe open Door policy:
' No power would preventothersfrom tradingin a sphereof influence.
' AII taxeson importsor exportswould be collectedby the Chinesegovernment.
' No power would askfor harboror rafuoaddutiesthat discriminatedagainstthe
otherpowersin its sphereof influence.
Most of the countriesindicatedtheywould follow the proposedpolicy if the othernations
involved agreedto it. Withoutfurthercorrespondence,
the UnitedStatesboldly announced
that all powershadagreedto theprinciplesof the OpenDoor policy.
Most Chin6e opposedforeigninfluencein their country.The OpenDoor policy did little
to rid China of continualforeigninterferencein ancientcustomsand foreign disregardfor
Chineseculture and society.The Chinesewere also outragedat the condition of their country
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andhopedto reestablisha stronggovemmentthat couldcontrolboth the Chineseandthe
foreignersliving in China-As foreignpowersencroached
duringthe late 1_800s,
these
sentimentsled to the formationof nationaiistsocietiesin China.In L900onesuchgroupof
nationalistsknown asthe Boxersroseup againstEuropeans.
Hopingto expelall foieigners
from China,the Boxerskilled foreignersanddestroyedbuildingi. fn. uprising,known asthe
Boxer Rebellion,lastedfor a little over a month.It wascrushedby troopsfrom European
countriesandthe UnitedStates.Bowing to the victoriouscountries'demands,Chinaigreed
to allow foreigntroopsto be stationedon Chinesesoil andto allow foreignshipsto palol the
Chinesecoastlineandrivers.
After the BoxerRebellion,the United Statesaddedanotherprincipleto its OpenDoor policy,
one stressingthat Chinashouldremainindependent
andnot be carvedup into u groopof
coloniesaspunishmentfor the rebellion.With this policy in play, Chinaremainedopento
trade,but foreignpowerscontinuedto violate China'snationalintegrityandto r"t.nd thri,
spheresof influence.TheUnited Statesmadeno attemptto supportits policy with armed
force.Thus,Chinacontinuedto providenew marketsandsourcesof raw materialsfor
American industry.
Todaywe are thepoorestand weakestnation in the world and occupythe lowestposition in
internationalaffairs.OthernTenare the carvingknlk andservingdish; we are tie
fish and
the meat.
-Sun Yat-sen,leaderof China in the eariv 1_900s
American policy wiII bring about permanentpeace and safety to China, preserve Chinese
territorial and administrative entity...and safeguardfor the world theprinciple of equal and
impartial trade with all parts of the Chinese Empire.
-Secretary of StateJohn Hay, 1900
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