Study On Sino-British Negotiation Of Tongguanshan Mining Right Dispute

During the several decades of the late Qing Dynasty, as imperialists’repeated invasions into China, China’s nationalism and democratism developed increasingly. Foreign-related disputes about mining and railways happened one after another in many provinces, which led to a series of negotiations about them. Because of its long time of duration, the wide range of involved stratums and the large-scale struggles, he negotiation of Anhui Tongguanshan mining right dispute that occurred from1905from1910is very significant in the negotiation history of China mining right disputes and the modern history of China.During the foreign-related negotiation of Tongguanshan mining right dispute, the Qing government and the gentry and merchants played different roles. The core actors, the Qing government, had to peacefully regain the mining right through diplomacy, and avoid British government’s strong response resulting from the over-intense negotiation, and also deal with the relations between the government and the Anhui gentry and merchants. It was very difficult for the Qing government to well control over the situation. As well, it was not easy for the Anhui gentry and merchants, who coordinated with the Qing government, to try their best to deal with the negotiation according to China’s tactics in order to accomplish a perfect ending.For us, throughout the entire process of the foreign-related negotiation of Tongguanshan mining right dispute, it is not only beneficial to better understand the group of gentry and merchants and its complex relation with the Qing government, but also conducive to analyze the complicated situation that the Qing government confronted and its diplomatic means. And through the analysis of the relations between the government and the gentry and merchants, we can better understand the social development and the changes of stratums in the late Qing Dynasty and the situation in Anhui province before the1911Revolution.In addition to the introduction and peroration, the thesis still consists of four sections. The introduction presents the purpose and significance of this paper, summarizes predecessors’ research achievement, and explains the main innovation points and shortcomings of this thesis.The first section introduces the cause of Tongguanshan mining right dispute. It starts from1902when Nie Jigui, the Governor of Anhui Province, and Kay John, a British businessman, concluded a protocol about Tongguanshan mining inquisition, and then focuses on the course that in1904Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Qing government and Kay John signed Tongguanshan Mining Revised Contract according to the inquisition protocol in1902and the contract’s content. It analyzes the causes of Tongguanshan mining right dispute.The second section elaborates the responses and actions of the Qing government and the Anhui gentry and merchants in process of the foreign-related negotiation of Tongguanshan mining right dispute. It analyzes the changes of the Qing government’s attitude in two different periods of the negotiation, the adjustments of the Qing government’s negotiating plan and the divergence between the government and the gentry and merchants. And then it concludes that the Qing government’s compromise in the entire negotiation process was just an expedient rather than betraying the nation and the country.The third section analyzes the characteristics and deficiencies of the cooperation between the Qing government and the Anhui gentry and merchants in the foreign-related negotiation of Tongguanshan mining right dispute. It points out the endeavor and frustration of the Qing government and the group of gentry and merchants when they did their utmost to safeguard national interests under the great time changes.The fourth section points out and emphasizes the historical standing and influences of the foreign-related negotiation of Tongguanshan mining right dispute.Finally, the peroration summarizes the entire paper, and it concludes that the withdrawal of Tongguanshan mining right resulted from the joint efforts of the Qing government and the Anhui gentry and merchants in China’s modern social tide. It also says that the reversals and zigzags in the negotiation of Tongguanshan mining right dispute and the tragic ending that the Japanese filched Tongguanshan mining right during the period of the Republic of China were the tragedy caused by the entire history of China’s modern society.