The Evolution Of Li Hongzhang’s Policy To Japan And Russia With The Pros And Cons During The Year Of1870-1896

Li Hongzhang was an important figure in the politics stage of later Qing dynasty, heplayed an important role in the Qing government internal affairs and diplomacy. As apowerful minister and vital policymaker and executant of Qing government deplomacy in lateQing dynasty, he was always the core of diplomacy among Qing dynasty, Japan and Russia.His thought of alliance with Japan and Russia directly determined his policy to Japan andRussia. His diplomatic practice had a far-reaching impact on China-Japan-Russia relationsand modern Chinese history.This paper is divided into five parts, discussing Li Hongzhang’s foreign policies to Japanand Russia’s and policy evolution. Through the discussions of dispose of China-Japan-Russiarelations, the paper analyzes gain and loss in Li Hongzhang’s diplomacy to Japan and Russia.Diplomacy to Japan was the first Li Hongzhang’s formal diplomatic activity. The firstpart of the paper mainly discusses why Li Hongzhang paid attention to the Japan, and wishedalliance with Japan. Finally, Sino-Japanese Treaty of Amity established the diplomaticalliance with Japan.The second, third and fourth parts mainly discusses the evolution of Li Hongzhang’sdiplomatic practice to Japan and failure as well as the establishment of the policy of alliancewith Russia. Li Hongzhang’s diplomacy to Japan experienced from the positive alliance to thenegative facing, and then to containing Japanese aggression to China, and finally ending withthe signature of Tianjin Treaty. After the Sino-Japanese War of1894-1895, the threat of Japanto Qing government intensified day by day, Li Hongzhang began to seek external forces tocurb the Japanese further aggression in China. During this period, Russian diplomatic practicestrengthened Li Hongzhang’s confidence in alliance with Russia. Russian Secret Agreementindicated the establishment of alliance between China and Russia.The fourth part mainly analyzes the development of Li Hongzhang’s policy of alliancewith Russia and its failure. Because of Russian diplomatic deception and inadequacy of LiHongzhang’s own ability, Russian secret agreement strengthened the Russian invasion in thenortheast of China, and the Qing government got nothing but lost the sovereignty.The fifth part mainly analyzes and reveals the gain and loss of Li Hongzhang’sdiplomatic practice to Japan and Russia, and strengthened failure was the main results. Thediplomatic failure revealed Li Hongzhang’s diplomatic limitations as a confucian scholar ofthe landlord class and reflected feudal political system couldn’t fight with capitalism systemand gain success. These two diplomatic activities reflected the nature of Li Hongzhang’sdiplomatic activities. We should learn the lessons and experiences from the history. In a word, Li Hongzhang’s diplomatic practice to Japan and Russia got certainachievements, and maintained the certain interests of Qing dynasty. But we should realize thatLi Hongzhang’s diplomatic practice to Russian and Japan ended in failure, which severelyaffected the political situation of the later Qing dynasty and damaged the interests of China.His right and wrong merits deserve our deep thinking and reflection.