A Study Of Shanghai Diplomacy During The Russo - Japanese War

During the The Russo-Japanese War, The anchorage of the belligerent warship at the neutral harbor in China became the focal point of negotiation among the relative countries. And in view of the international background of Shanghai, Negotiations of the Russian warship mooring in Shanghai during the war became an important bargaining specially. In this paper, I will conduct a research about the typical case"Mandjour" in Shanghai during the Russo-Japanese War in terms of diplomatic history. And trying to discuss the following issues:The negotiation course of the "Mandjour" case; Connections between China’s neutrality and the "Mandjour" negotiation; The Wai Wu Pu’s ability of applying the international law in the practical negotiation; The purposes of the relative countries in the negotiation of "Mandjour" case.The first chapter reviews the whole process of the "Mandjour" negotiation. So that we can clarify the key point in this negotiation. And then discuss briefly the tactics of Japan and Russia in the negotiation and how it effects the result of this case.The second chapter analyzes the disposure of the Qing government in this case. This chapter started from the discussing of the two neutrality regulations published by the Qing government which is in connection with the "24 hours" principle in the international law. On the one hand, part of the regulations is formulated with certain flaws which Japan and Russia may easily escape from their obligation in the international law. On the other hand, the Qing government is lack of the ability and desire to explain and even amend these defective regulations which makes the neutrality regulations published by the Qing government exist in name only. It can be seen from this case that China is unable to exercise the right as a neutralized state which exposes the anergy of Wai Wu Pu in applying the international law to handle the disputes in diplomatic case. Finally, by analyzing the "Mandjour" case from the definition of "Asylum" in neutrality law, we try to provide a new legal explanation about the disposure of the Qing government in this case.Chapter Three discuss the propose and disposure of China and Japan in the "Mandjour" negotiation from the background of China’s neutrality. The first section of this chapter started from the discussing the dignitary’s attitude of the Qing government towards the Russo-Japanese war, so that we can provide rational explanation for reason of Qing Government’s concession to Russia in the negotiation according to the historical context. And then discuss how the personnel arrangement of Prince Qing affected the process of the "Mandjour" negotiation. The second section analyzes the reason why Japan value the negotiation of "Mandjour" case from the view of military factors and commercial consideration. Finally, we try to point out that the reason why Japan conservatively handle the Russian gunboat "Mandjour" at last is based on the consideration of maintaining her international image and consolidating the Anglo-Japanese Alliance.In the summary, by the overall evaluation of Qing government’s disposure in the "Mandjour" negotiation, we give a response to the formerly relative research and make a sum about this paper.