Yangtze Agreement

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The Yangtze Agreement was an agreement between Great Britain and Germany signed on October 16, 1900, signed by Prime Minister Lord Salisbury and Ambassador Count Paul von Hatzfeldt respectively. It stated both parties' opposition to the partition of China into spheres of influence.

The agreement was signed in accordance with the Open Door Policy, which all major nations supported. The policy involved equal access to Chinese markets. The Germans supported it because a partition of China would limit Germany to a small trading market, instead of all of China.[1]

Background

In March 1898, the Russian Empire signed the Convention for the Lease of the Liaotung Peninsula with Qing Dynasty and occupied the southernmost point of the Liaotung Peninsula, thus establishing a military advantage in Northern China.[2] In May of the same year, British Colonial Secretary Joseph Chamberlain made a speech in his constituency, Birmingham, saying: "Those who sups with the devil (Russia) must have a long spoon... If the policy of isolation which has hitherto been the policy of this country (Britain) is to be maintained in the future then the fate of the Chinese Empire may be, and probably will be, hereafter decided without reference to our wishes and in defiance of our interests."[2][3]

Chamberlain's comments indicated that the British government would abandon its existing "Splendid Isolation" policy and form an alliance with the powers closest to its interests in the partition of China.[2] France, which is opposed to Britain in Siam, Indochina, North Africa, is excluded because it is an ally of Russia, and the United States, like the British Empire was dependent on naval power, so it could not be a country against Russia.[4] The new allies had to be a country with appropriate army power. Chamberlain and Duke of Devonshire, and Arthur Balfour named Germany and Japan as their allies.[5]

Britain was prepared to coordinate its interests with Germany in the whole Colonial World and support Germany's interests in China.[4] Even in Germany, unless they have a strong navy, they often have to rely on cooperation with Britain in terms of overseas expansion.[4] However, it was welcome that Russia's attention was directed to East Asia because the German Empire, on the other hand, relaxed the pressure of the Franco-Russian Alliance due to its location bordering Russia and France in the east and west.[4] Wilhelm II, the German Emperor, supported and greatly encouraged Russian Tsar Nicholas II's entry into China.[4]

Approach

The Russian, which provided large-scale troops during the Boxer Rebellion, once faced conflict with Germany in an attempt to gain the position of commander of the Eight-Nation Alliance Forces.[4] In October 1900, Britain and Germany signed the Yangtze Agreement based on the principle of Open Door after a ceasefire.[4] Japan declared that it was joining the agreement to check the advance of the Russian, particularly in Manchuria.[6]

Almost all of the powers supported the agreement, at least ostensibly. This agreement included equal access in the Chinese market, and the Germany supported the territorial integrity of China, as the partition of China would limit Germany's trade activities to smaller markets rather than to all China.[4] It was named the 'Yangtze Agreement' because the agreement confirmed the respect for the rights and interests of the British in the downstream area of the Yangtze River. It promised each other freedom of trade in areas under the influence of Britain and Germany along with the territorial integrity of China.[4]

Notes

  1. ^ Kennedy (1980), pp. 243, 354.
  2. ^ a b c Ikeda (1962), pp. 145-146.
  3. ^ Bray (2015), pp. 167-168.
  4. ^ a b c d e f g h i Kawai (1969), pp. 71-74.
  5. ^ Sakai (1967), p. 283.
  6. ^ White (2002), pp. 13-14.

References

  • Paul M. Kennedy, The Rise of the Anglo-German Antagonism: 1860-1914 (1980)
  • Ikeda Kiyoshi, The vision of Politician: Joseph Chamberlain and Keir Hardie (1962)
  • Kawai Hidekazu, Iwanami Lecture; World History Vol. 22, Establishment of European Imperialism (1969)
  • Sakai Hideo, Historical study of political leadership: centered in modern England (1967)
  • John A. White, Transition to Global Rivalry: Alliance Diplomacy and the Quadruple Entente, 1895-1907 (2002)
  • Dominic M. Bray, Joseph Chamberlain and Foreign Policy: 1895-1903 (2015)
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