No Li Hongzhang's Diplomatic Stradegies In Lat Qing Dynasty

In recent years, attention has been paid to the research on Li Hongzhang's diplomatic thinking and strategy. In the historical documents, there are both completely negative and positive ideas about his diplomatic thinking and strategy. Li Hongzhang is even regarded as one of the great diplomats in Chinese history.Research on history should serve reality, but the evaluation on Li Hongzhang's thinking should be reasonable. It should not be completely negative or completely positive. How his diplomatic thinking is formed should also be summarized.Foreign and Domestic Environment of Late Qing Dynasty's DiplomacyThe national power was on the decline since late Qianlong of Qing Dynasty. But meanwhile, the western capitalism was on the rise.Contrary to the rising tendency of the western developed countries, two Opium Wars made Chinese people including the ruling class suffer galling shame and humiliation. China's social contradictories became more complicated and its multiple national power was on the decline.Li Hongzhang arrogated all powers of China's army, politics and diplomacy to himself for thirty years. He joined and directed almost all the important foreign affairs of Qing Dynasty. He had a significant influence on modern China. In the long-term diplomatic practice, Li Hongzhang formed a set of his own diplomatic thinking and strategy, which can be summarized as follows: to be on good terms with foreign countries; to be sincere and honest; to be independent and powerful; to take advantage of other countries' contradictories to protect China. These ideas are spiritual legacy that makes people not only deplore but also meditate.Diplomatic Thinking of "Being on Good Terms with Foreign Countries" In fact, "being on good terms" is to keep China in peaceful situation. The shaping of this thinking is relevant to the following aspects: First, compared with the national power of the western big powers, China's was a great disparity at the time. Second, he wanted to be devoted to create a peaceful external environment for the development of China. Third, the change of the international situation in the Far East and the Qing government's policy f "taking advantage of the insurrectionary army to fight against invaders" is the external factor to form this thinking. Fourth, this diplomatic thinking is shaped under the influence of Chinese traditional Confucianism. Its posing, formulating and implementing all reflect Confucianism.It gives no cause for much criticism to be on good terms with the western big powers, to realize peace and to be powerful and independent by reforming in a relatively stable international environment. However, the question is how to achieve this aim. Because Li Hongzhang did not know the western culture very well, it was not effective to handle the foreign affairs that were closely related with the state sovereignty and national interests by making concessions to avoid trouble. On the contrary, many rights of China, which should not be lost, would be lost.This diplomatic thinking and practice are the necessary products of the poor declining modern China. It is impossible to carry them out according to Li Hongzhang's will. It is not only Li Hongzhang's tragedy, but also modern China's tragedy.Diplomatic Thinking of "Being Independent and Powerful"Facing the difficulties both at home and abroad, Li Hongzhang appealed to reform and strive to become stronger owing to his instinct to defend feudal ruling.Li Hongzhang's political reform is to learn from the West. He demanded to learn everything that was good for being stronger. Firstly, learn from the West in military affairs, develop war industry and strengthen coast defense. Secondly, imitate the West in economy and civil industry was established. Then, in order to make China's autocratic political power more open, Li Hongzhang, on the one hand, illustrated the world situational change, the crisis that China was facing and stated strongly the importance of political reform to Qing government. On...