Discussion The Change Of The Relationship Between China And The United States In The Late 19th Century

Since Britain opened China’s gate with gunboats in 1840, western powers forced the Qing government to sign a series of unequal treaties, China lost a lot of sovereignty, and was reduced to a semi-colonial and semi-feudal society. In June 1858, Britain, France and other countries forced the Qing government to sign the Tianjin Treaty, Britain, France, Russia and the United States got the that national minister can stationed in Beijing, foreign missionary can mission in mainland China, Chinese laborers can work aboard. In 1868, for worrying about western countries took chance to grab more privileges and benefits during the appointed schedule(Tianjin Treaty between China and Britain provisioned that the Treaty must be revised after 10 years), Qing government intended to send ambassadors abroad to unclog the national relationship preparing for revising the treaty. But there is no suitable candidate. Anson Burlingame, as foreign minister of the United States in 1861-1867, put forward the policy of co-operation which got favorable impression of the Qing government. Ministry of Foreign Affairs hired him as envoy. Anson Burlingame led Chinese mission trip to Europe and America 11 countries in February 1868. On July 28 th 1868, he acted beyond his authority, signing the Tianjin Treaty Amendment(called Anson Burlingame Treaty). This treaty has created profound influence on Sino- US relationship since the late19 th.First of all, the treaty reiterates the regulation that protects missionaries in Tianjin Treaty of 1858, which contributes to America’s missionary work in Treaty ports and China inland. American missionary began to mission in China at 1830, missionary activities have few effect before the treaty of Anson Burlingame, missionaries mainly conduct newspapers, translation,publication, health and education work in the southeast of China and eastern coastal area of China. And the sharp boom of America’s missionary work in China from 1864 to 1918, The America’s missioner increased, missioners missionize from China’s coastal into the mainland. America’s missionary work is more than other western countries in missionary work, education and charity.Secondly, the treaty has stimulated Qing government to send the teenagers to study abroad, and has trained a number of technical personnel for the development of China’s economy. In the 1860 s, Qing government launched the famous westernization movement, and moves the first step towards the modernization. Due to the founded enterprise need a lot of translation and technical personnel, the Qing government has selected 4 batches of a total of 120 teenagers to study abroad from 1872 to 1875.The teenagers became the first batch of the overseas students in modern China. They have played an important role in the shipbuilding, railway, machinery manufacturing, mining, telecommunications and other industries when they returned home.Then, Treaty provisions that people in two countries can communicate freely at any time; they can travel, trade and settle freely each other. America expanded recruitment of Chinese labor basis on the treaty, and reach climax of Chinese labor aboard. It is adapt the demand for labor in the western development, promote the development of American capitalism economy. But affected by the economic crisis, American began to exclude Chinese labor; it makes Chinese labor get the low social status in America. Qing government set up embassies in America at 1878 to protect the interests of the Chinese labor the Anson Burlingame Treaty became the useful law weapon to protect Chinese labors.Next, Anson Burlingame Diplomatic Corps visited European and American countries have shaken the diplomatic etiquette system, and it’s a symbol of the crackdown of the tributary system. Members of the mission in the process of visit, records a large number of local conditions,customs of the country, visiting etiquette and matters.It is provided first-hand information to understand western countries and affected the system of the Qing government’s diplomatic etiquette. Qing governments abolished the audience system, and cultivate a batch of diplomacy talents. In the 1870 s, Qing government began to send permanent envoy to the European and American countries.In a word, the Anson Burlingame mission visits Occident, and signed the Anson Burlingame treaty, it brings about great changes in many aspects: American Missionary go deep into China mainland to do missionary work; stimulate the Qing government to send the teenagers to study abroad; expand the scale of recruitment of Chinese workers and China’s diplomatic etiquette. The Anson Burlingame treaty is an equal treaty relatively. It shows that the governor of Qing begin to accept international conventions and international law from western countries. This is a kind of ideological progress, but China get unequal rights and fulfils unequal obligations as a weak side.