American Foreign Policy 1890-1914 - China

ASU HST 200 (Historical Themes) American Foreign Policy 1890-1914 China With the defeat of the Spanish navy in the Atlantic and Pacific, and specifically with the addition of the Philippines as a base for American ports and coaling stations, the United States was ready to try and make the myth a reality. Many Westerners have dreamed of the elusive "China Market" since the days of Christopher Columbus's westward journey to seek a new route to the East Indies (essentially India and China, but loosely defined as all of Southeast Asia). Captains of American industry dreamt of a vast market of Asian clients, clamoring for manufactured goods they could not yet create in big numbers for themselves, even though China initially accounted for a modest fraction of American international commerce. Not just American companies recognized the potential. Aside from Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, other nations also aimed to gain influence in China. An "open door" policy, which allowed all foreign countries free and equal access to Chinese ports, was imposed on China by earlier treaties between Great Britain and China in 1842 and 1844 during the Opium Wars, when the British Empire used military force to force the Chinese empire to accept the import of Indian opium in exchange for its tea. Nevertheless, other western countries made use of the new system to send Christian missionaries, who started to operate across inland China, during a period when Great Britain had the strongest trade ties with China. In the aftermath of the 1894–1895 Sino-Japanese War, which centered on China's claims to Korea, Western nations aspired to further expand their influence in the area. on 1897, Germany received exclusive mining rights on China's northern shore as payment for the assassination of two German missionaries. Russia was granted permission to construct a railroad across northern Manchuria in 1898. Each nation gradually established its own zone of influence, allowing it to maintain its part of the Chinese market by controlling trade and transportation. Concerned about not securing a substantial portion for themselves, and alarmed by the rate at which foreign countries continued to split China into fictitious regions, the US administration stepped in. But American companies, as opposed to those in Europe, desired the entire market, not just a portion of it. They desired to do business in China free from spheres or limits that were arbitrarily erected to restrict the scope of their commerce, but also free from the legal obligations and geographical entanglements that opponents of imperialism condemned. The American Asiatic Association was founded in 1896 by a number of American businesses seeking to expand their trading prospects in China, with Secretary of State John Hay's approval and support. The United States was prepared to attempt to bring the myth to life when the Spanish navy was routed in the Atlantic and Pacific, particularly with the inclusion of the Philippines as a base for American ports and coaling stations. Ever since Christopher Columbus set out to find a new path to the East Indies, which are essentially India and China, but are also broadly described as all of Southeast Asia, many Westerners have harbored dreams of the illusive "China Market". Even while China first made up a small portion of American foreign commerce, captains of American industry dreamed of a massive market of Asian clientele, hungry for manufactured goods they could not yet develop in big quantities for themselves. Not only American businesses were aware of the possibilities. Other countries, in addition to Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, also sought to increase their influence in China. Earlier treaties between Great Britain and China in 1842 and 1844 during the Opium Wars, when the British Empire used military force to force the Chinese empire to accept the import of Indian opium in exchange for its tea, imposed on China a "open door" policy that allowed all foreign countries free and equal access to Chinese ports. However, at a time when Great Britain had the closest trading links with China, other western nations took advantage of the new system and sent Christian missionaries who began to work across inland China. Following the SinoJapanese War of 1894–1895, which was based on China's claims to Korea, Western countries sought to increase their influence in the region. In 1897, Germany was compensated for the murder of two German missionaries by being granted exclusive mining rights on the northern shore of China. In 1898, Russia was given authorization to build a railroad through northern Manchuria. By regulating commerce and transportation, each country was able to preserve its portion of the Chinese market while it progressively carved out its own sphere of influence. Fearing that they would not be able to claim a sizable piece for themselves and troubled by the speed at which other nations were dividing China into imaginary territories, the US government intervened. But American businesses wanted the whole market, not just a piece of it, unlike their European counterparts. They wanted to conduct business in China without being constrained by spheres or boundaries that were placed arbitrarily to limit the extent of their trade, but they also wanted to avoid the legal constraints and geopolitical entanglements that opponents of imperialism decried. With Secretary of State John Hay's endorsement and assistance, several American companies looking to increase their commercial opportunities in China created the American Asiatic Association in 1896.