The Orient China Open door policy Japan Level 2

China At the time, China was a country only by name In reality, European powers and Japan had split up China into “spheres of influence” Each sphere could only trade with its parent country and any crimes committed by civilians in the sphere had to be prosecuted by the parent country’s court or appointed judge Spheres of Influence

Open Door Policy United States wanted to destroy spheres of influence and open up free trade in China Open Door Policy failed initially because it was rejected by European powers who wanted to keep their supremacy in their respective sphere US helped put down Boxer Rebellion to win the favor of the European powers Finally, Britain and Germany accepted the Open Door Policy the second time around causing the other to follow suit Subsequently, the US retained its lucrative trade with China

The Boxer Rebellion The Boxer Rebellion was instigated by a covert Chinese martial arts group called the Fists of Righteous Harmony. They were strongly nationalist and sought to drive out foreign influence. In 1900, they attacked foreign embassies capturing or killing diplomats. A strong coalition force led by Austria-Hungary, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States crushed the rebellion. The assistance of the US gained them favor with the European nations causing them to accept the Open Door Policy.

Commodore Matthew Perry meeting the Imperial Commissioners at Yokohama Japan Japan was an isolationist country US wanted to trade with Japan In 1853 Commodore Matthew Perry entered Tokyo harbor with powerful battleships to intimidate the Japanese with might and coerce them to open up trade Japanese had never seen steam powered ships before—they were very afraid Perry says he will return in 1 year to sign a treaty In 1854 Japan signs Treaty of Kanagawa granting US trading rights in Japan Commodore Matthew Perry meeting the Imperial Commissioners at Yokohama