Identity Construction Process In The Late Qing Dynasty (1840-1895), Chinese Foreign

Treaty system is an important constituent part and the basis of the development of China's diplomacy in modern times. This essay tries to review the origin of Chinese governments'treaty conception and the change of its diplomatic behavior in Late Ching Dynasty from a perspective of the identity construction. It tries to deeply analyze the treaty conception and the diplomatic behavior in late Ching Dynasty according to the analyzing path of"identity change-interest construction-behavior change"as well as the logic of"identity recognizes national profits and policy behavior". China's prosperous development made it consider itself as the centre of the world which reformed the Tributary State System in the process of communication with other countries around. This kind of geography-central and culture-central conception led the separation of China and Barbarian. China's identity in late Ching Dynasty experienced a change from the World to a national country. The change of identity determines the change of China's national interests. China viewed the debate between China and Barbarian as a big obstacle during its World period and refused as well as even rejected the minister to enter Beijing without considering the economical, legal and secure profits of China. As a national country, China began to consider its sovereignty hoping to change the unequal statue through treaties. This change is due to the change of China's identity. However, China had not finished the construction of its identity in the interaction with the international community. Other counties still did not consider China as a national country with independent sovereignty but a colony and a products market for any invading. Invading and robbing China is the key that China was reduced to a colony in late Ching Dynasty.