A Study On Anson Burlingame And Early Sino-US Relations (1861-1870)

The words and deeds of important diplomatic figures will to some extent make delicate or even obvious changes to the relations between two countries. Anson Burlingame is an important figure in the modern history of Sino-US relations. He played an important role in the friendly development of Sino-US relations at that time and later, and he even played a part in Qing government's foreign relations. Using Burlingame himself as the breakthrough point, this article discusses his words and actions during his period of the United States Minister to China and the Chinese Minister to Europe and the United States, in order to analyze his impact to the Sino-US relations at that time.This paper mainly includes two parts: the first part, his deeds and their impacts during the period of the United States Minister to China. This part is mainly about Burlingame's advocacy and implementation of the co-operative policy, his mediation of the relationship between Qing government and the powers, his measures of promoting China's modernization. All these words and actions not only made the United States establish a good image in China, but also embodied that American policies toward China had changed from following the United Kingdom in the past and had become independent, the prestige of the United States having been greatly improved. The Sino-US relations not only had changed in form, but also was different from the past in essence, making the development of the Sino-US relations reaching a peak; the second part, his deeds and their impacts to the Sino-US relations during his period of the Chinese Minister to Europe and the United States. This part is mainly about Burlingame's actions in according with the rituals of the West, his signature of Additional Articles to the Treaty of Commerce between the United States and China on behalf of China, his speeches, his negotiations with European countries and his fighting for the interests of China. This series of activities not only shake the traditional Chinese system of etiquette, but also were conducive to change Western countries'misconceptions about China, maintaining the independence and autonomy of China. So that Sino-US relations would have a good development in a better international environment.