The
Boxer Protocol was a protocol signed on September 7, 1901 between
the Qing
Empire
of China and the Eight-Nation Alliance—Austria-Hungary, France
, Germany
, Italy
, Japan
, Russia
, the
United
Kingdom
, and the United States
—plus Belgium
, Spain
and the
Netherlands
after China's defeat in the intervention to put
down the Boxer Uprising at the hands
of the Eight-Power Expeditionary Force. It was often
regarded as one of the
Unequal
Treaties.
Names
In Western countries, it was also known as the
Treaty of
1901,
Peace Agreement between the Great Powers and
China. The full name of the protocol is:
Austria-Hungary, Belgium, France, Germany, Great Britain,
Italy, Japan, Netherland, Russia, Spain, United States and China
—Final Protocol for the Settlement of the Disturbances of
1900, reflecting its nature as a diplomatic protocol
rather than a peace treaty at the time of signature.
In
China
, it was known as the Xinchou
Treaty. It was later regarded as one of the
"
Unequal Treaties".
Signatories
Prince Qing and Li
Hongzhang signed the protocol on behalf of the Qing
Empire,
while Alfons Mumm (Freiherr von
Schwarzenstein), Ernest Satow and
Komura Jutaro signed on behalf of
Germany, Britain and Japan respectively.
The Clauses
Signing of the Boxer Protocol
450 million
taels of silver were to be paid as
indemnity over a course of 39 years to the eight nations involved
(982,238,150 taels in total with the interest). Under the
exchange rates at the time, 450 million taels
was equal to
US$ 335 million
gold dollars or
£67 million,
approximately equal to US$6.653 billion today.
The Chinese paid the indemnity in gold on a rising scale with a 4%
interest charge until the debt was
amortized on December 31, 1940. After 39 years,
the amount was almost 1 billion taels (precisely
982,238,150).
The sum was to be distributed as follows: Russia 28.97%, Germany
20.02%, France 15.75%, United Kingdom 11.25%, Japan 7.73%, United
States 7.32%, Italy 7.32%, Belgium 1.89%, Austria-Hungary 0.89%,
Netherlands 0.17%, and Spain, Portugal, Sweden, and Norway 0.025%。
Also, additional 16,886,708 taels was paid at local level in 17
provinces. By 1938, 652.37 million taels had been paid. The
interest rate (of 4% per annum) was to be paid semi-annually with
the first payment being the 1st July 1902.
The Qing government was also to allow the foreign countries to base
their troops in
Beijing. In addition, the
foreign powers had placed the
Empress
Cixi on their list of war criminals, although provincial
officers such as
Li Hongzhang and
Yuan Shikai defended her, claiming that
she had no control whatsoever over the whole escapade. She was
later removed from the list, though she was to step down from power
and discontinue any participation in the affairs of state.
Other clauses included:
- To prohibit the importation of arms and ammunitions, as well as
materials for the production of arms or ammunitions for a period of
2 years, this could be extended to a further terms of 2 years as
the Powers saw necessary. - the ban of imports of weapons till
1903-1905.
- Legation Quarters
occupied by the Powers shall be considered as a special area
reserved for their use under exclusive control, in which Chinese
shall not have the right to reside, and which may be defensible.
China recognised the right of each Power to maintain a permanent
guard in the said Quarters for the defense of its Legation.
- Boxer and Government officials were to be punished for crimes
or attempted crimes against the foreign Governments or their
nationals. Many were either sentenced to execution, deportation to
Turkestan, imprisoned for life, commit
suicide, or suffer posthumous degradation.
- The
Chinese
Government
was to
prohibit forever, under the pain of death, membership in any
anti-foreign society, civil service examinations were to be
suspended for 5 years in all areas where foreigners were massacred
or subjected to cruel treatment, provincial and local officials
would personally be held responsible for any new anti-foreign
incidents.
- The Emperor of China was to appoint Na't'ung to be his Envoy Extraordinary and direct him to also
convey to the Emperor of Japan, his
expression of regrets and that of his Government at the
assassination of Mr. Sugiyama.
- The Chinese Government would have to erect on the spot of the
assassination of Baron von Ketteler a commemorative arch inscribed
in Latin, German, and Chinese languages.
- Concede the right to the Powers to occupy the following
places:
Effects
Political
This event also further marked the increased decentralization of
power in China, from the central government to the provinces. This
is as both Li Hongzhang and Yuan Shikai had delayed and then
disobeyed orders from the Qing Government to join the Boxers in the
Boxer Rebellion. These two provincial officers had in their hands
very powerful armies, namely the
Beiyang
Army and the
New Army, which were later
merged under Yuan Shikai after Li Hongzhang's death. Lastly, the
defeat in the rebellion and the severity of the protocol initiated
the Late-Qing Reforms, which were basically a follow-up of the
Hundred Days' Reform, and led
to the
1911 Revolution.
Economic
The huge indemnity of 450 million taels of silver was a large
burden on the common folks in China, who had to foot it with
increased taxes. It is estimated that the entire Qing government
income was only about 250 million taels at the time, making the
indemnity without interest worth almost two entire years of
government revenue. Principal repayments and interest combined over
the 39-year duration of the loan, this more than doubled.
Social
The Boxer Protocol was a further blow to what little integrity the
Qing government possessed. Some people in China were already
dissatisfied with the corrupt and inefficient Qing government, and
this only proved that their sentiments were well founded. They had
become convinced that the Qing government was utterly incapable of
ruling their country, and believed that a revolution was the only
way the country could be restored to peace and prosperity.
Remittance
The
following government, the Republic of China
, managed to persuade all the countries to remit 98%
of the total indemnity.
See also
External links
References
- Spence, Jonathan D. [1991] (1991). W. W. Norton & Company
publishing. ISBN 0393307808.
- http://eh.net/atp/answers/0789.php
- Sondhaus, Lawrence. [2001] (2001). Naval Warfare, 1815-1914.
Routledge publishing. ISBN 0415214777
- Pamphlets on the Chinese-Japanese War, 1939-1945. [Published
1937] Sino-Japanese Conflict, 1937-1945. University of California
digitized May 30, 2007. No ISBN.
- Elleman, B: Diplomacy and Deception, page 144. M.E.
Sharpe, 1998.
.
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