British Interests and the Struggle of Russia and France for Leases and Spheres of Influencein China (1897–1898)

• Authors: Aleš Skřivan , Aleš Skřivan
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

China found itself in massive debt after its defeat in the war with Japan (1894–1895), and it was progressively put under significant pressure by the Great Powers who were seeking to define their exclusive spheres of influence and gain economic concessions. Russia was the first to take measures in this regard, its objective being to acquire dominant influence in northern China building on the construction of the Trans-Siberian Railway. France too, Russia’s ally, began to pursue a similar status in the southern Chinese provinces neighbouring French Indochina. Great Britain, after decades enforcing the principle of China’s territorial integrity, and equal trade opportunities in the country for all, was somewhat taken by surprise by these developments. Russia took advantage of the situation to increase pressure on China, culminating in the lease of Port Arthur and Dalian and the recognition of Russian claims regarding the Liaodong Peninsula. Great Britain found itself in a particularly adverse position. Several members of Britain’s government were determined to support resistance to Russia’s advances in the Far East even at the cost of war. In contrast, Prime Minister Salisbury had been promoting an understanding with Russia for many years, but after Russia’s occupation of Port Arthur he realised this was no longer possible Britain managed to maintain its position in China, but many leading British politicians realised that the policy of “splendid isolation” would no longer suffice to maintain Britain’s position.

Keywords

EN

First Sino-Japanese War; Spheres of Influence in China; Leases to Russia and France; Crisis in the Policy of “Splendid isolation”

• Publisher: University of West Bohemia, Pilsen, Czech Republic
• Journal: West Bohemian Historical Review
• Year: 2021
• Volume: 11
• Issue: 2
• Pages: 147-165

Contributors

author

Aleš Skřivan

• Department of Historical Sciences, Faculty of Arts, University of West Bohemia in Plzeň, Sedláčkova 38, Plzeň, 306 14

author

Aleš Skřivan

• Department of Historical Sciences, Faculty of Arts, University of West Bohemia in Plzeň, Sedláčkova 38, Plzeň, 306 14