A diplomatic approach initiated by the United States in the late 19th century aimed at securing access to the Chinese market for American businesses. This initiative, articulated in a series of notes dispatched to major European powers and Japan, advocated for equal trading rights for all nations within China’s spheres of influence. It essentially requested that these powers, which held leaseholds or exerted considerable control in various regions of China, refrain from discriminating against other countries seeking to trade there.
The significance of this policy lies in its attempt to prevent the formal partitioning of China into colonies, thereby safeguarding American commercial interests and maintaining a balance of power in the region. It also served as a statement of American foreign policy, asserting the nation’s growing role in global affairs and its commitment to free trade. While ostensibly designed to protect Chinese sovereignty, the policy primarily served to advance American economic objectives by ensuring access to China’s vast resources and markets without resorting to direct colonization.
