Qing-Choson Merchants' Treaty On Sea And Land Trade And East Asian Regional Order Changes

The East Asian regional order has been dominated by the Chinese feudal dynasty for a long period of time.As an important part of the East Asian regional order,Choson Korea maintains its toadyism and good-neighbor policy which centered on China and Japan.Since 1866,Western countries have carried out many "foreign disturbances" against Choson Korea,hoping to conduct business with Choson,but all failed.Considering the special relationship between the Qing government and Choson Korea,Western countries hope that the Qing government will be able to mediate.However,the Qing government tried its best to avoid getting involved in the conflict between Choson Korea and Western countries,saying that Choson Korea's internal and diplomatic affairs have always been autonomous.However,in the view of Western countries,such a statement by the Qing government is equivalent to giving up the power of the sovereign state.After the Meiji Restoration,Japan increased its strength and become an internal factor that impacts the East Asian regional order.After failed to establish diplomatic relations with Choson by conventional means,it then forced the Choson to sign the Treaty of Ganghwa.According to the provisions of the first paragraph of the treaty,Choson is an autonomous state and retains the right to be equal to Japan.In fact,Japan hopes to use this to deny the sovereign relationship between Choson and Qing China and to deny Qing's status in the East Asian international order.This practice cannot but arouse the vigilance of the Qing government.To this end,the Qing government has adopted a series of measures to strengthen the sovereignty of the Choson,including leading Choson to sign a trade treaty with the United States,helping Choson to rectify its armaments,and making military intervention in Choson Korea.Substantial changes have taken place in the traditional non-intervention-based tributary relations.As an important means to maintain the Qing-Choson relationship,in October 1882,Li Hongzhang presided over the signing of the " Qing-Choson Merchants' treaty on Sea and Land Trade ",which stipulated that China and the Choson should conduct modern trade.In the negotiation process of the treaty,seeking independent status has become the main demand of Choson.However,the treaty clearly emphasizes that Choson Korea is a state of Qing China,and the relationship between Qing China and Choson Korea is fixed by the treaty.Through the treaty,the framework of Qing-Choson relations at the end of the 19th century was laid.The treaty on the equal treatment of officials between Qing China and Choson Korea also triggered controversy within the Qing government.According to the articles of the treaty,Qing government established a commercial committee in Choson.Although the scope of their duties has caused doubts in Western countries,but in fact,the commercial commissioner assumed the responsibilities of the ambassador to Choson,giving the traditional Qing-Choson relations modern factors.Those control policies towards Choson has temporarily maintained the traditional East Asian regional order based on the Qing government,but enhanced the centrifugal force of Choson.At the same time,the influence of Japan and Russia on Choson increased,and the leadership of the East Asian region order entered the stage of competition among the Qing government,Japan,and Russia.