Discussing The Qing Government's Strategy Of Consolidating The Frontier In Southwest China From The Respect Of Disputes Over The Sino-Vietnamese Boundary Problem(1885-1887)

In 1874,France signed the "Traite de Saigon(1874)" with Vietnam,and then legally became the protector of Vietnam,which directly menaced the traditional Sino-Vietnamese tributary relations.As a result,the Sino-French War broke up.After the Sino-French War,China and France signed the "Traite de Tianjin(1885)," and ended the traditional Sino-Vietnamese tributary relations between the two countries in the form of a treaty.Between 1885-1887,the two governments send officials to set up the border committee,and then made fierce negotiations on the issue of Sino-Vietnam demarcation,which involves the boundaries of Gui-Yue,Dian-Yue and Yue-Yue.Chinese officials wanted to fight for territories so as to defend the frontier.Therefore,they first proposed to set up a neutral area called Ou-tuo in Chinese,which failed.Instead,they put forward correction methods of border territories.Chinese officials insisted that Lang Son area of Gui-Yue,Tu Long and Lai Chau area of Dian-Yue,Cap Paklung area of Yue-Yue should be incorporated into China,which was in conflict with the strategic intention of France to fully control of Bac Ky.Therefore,both sides of China and France insisted their own opinions and kept quarrelling.Considering about Japan's intervention in Korea affairs and Russia's ambitions on Xinjiang,the Qing government worried that the French would reopen the war on the excuse of Chinese officials' violating the treaty,which could entrap it into a great confusion.Concequently,the Qing government ordered Chinese boundary officers to demarcate borderline without disagreement as soon as possible according to the demarcation proposal by French officials.As to the issue of territorial correction,the two governments would make a final decision.However,Chinese officials took the responsibility of keeping the earth seriously,so did not want to compromise.It should be noted that,France was trapped in German pressure,and China hoped to save Korea in the meantime.Finally,the two governments reached an agreement on borderline and business interests with each other for quickly resolving the issue of Sino-Vietnam demarcation.China and France signed the "Convention Relative to the Delimitation of the Frontier between China and Tokin" at June 26,1887.The boundary line between China and Vietnam was delineated at the treaty level,and the ownership of coastal islands such as Jiutou Island was stipulated.But the Qing government neither had effective powers to control the southwest border,nor to avoid French permeating its forces into southwest China.