Boxer Protocol

Definition

The Boxer Protocol was an agreement signed in 1901 that ended the Boxer Rebellion in China. It outlined the terms of settlement between the Chinese government and the foreign powers that had intervened to suppress the uprising.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The Boxer Rebellion was a violent uprising against foreign influence and Christian missionaries in China, led by the Boxer secret society.
2. The foreign powers, including the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia, Japan, and others, intervened militarily to suppress the Boxer Rebellion.
3. The Boxer Protocol required China to pay a massive indemnity to the foreign powers, totaling over $330 million, to be paid over 39 years.
4. The protocol also allowed the foreign powers to station troops in Beijing and other strategic locations to protect their interests in China.
5. The Boxer Protocol further entrenched the system of spheres of influence, where different foreign powers controlled distinct economic and political zones within China.

Review Questions

• Explain how the Boxer Protocol was a consequence of the Boxer Rebellion and the foreign intervention that followed.
  • The Boxer Rebellion was a violent anti-foreign and anti-Christian uprising in China that was ultimately suppressed by a coalition of foreign powers, including the United States, Britain, France, Germany, Russia, and Japan. The Boxer Protocol, signed in 1901, was the agreement that ended the conflict and outlined the terms of settlement between the Chinese government and the intervening foreign powers. The protocol required China to pay a massive indemnity, allow the stationing of foreign troops in strategic locations, and further entrenched the system of spheres of influence, where different foreign powers controlled distinct economic and political zones within China.
• Describe how the Boxer Protocol was connected to the concept of economic imperialism in East Asia during this time period.
  • The Boxer Protocol was a key event in the context of economic imperialism in East Asia. The foreign powers that intervened in the Boxer Rebellion used the protocol to further their economic and political control over China. The massive indemnity payments required of China, as well as the stationing of foreign troops and the entrenchment of spheres of influence, allowed these foreign powers to maintain and expand their economic dominance in the region. The Boxer Protocol was a means for the imperialist powers to secure their access to Chinese markets, resources, and trade opportunities, solidifying their economic grip over East Asia.
• Analyze how the Boxer Protocol contributed to the growing resentment and nationalism among the Chinese people towards foreign interference in their country.
  • The Boxer Protocol, while ending the Boxer Rebellion, further exacerbated the resentment and nationalist sentiment among the Chinese people towards foreign interference in their country. The massive indemnity payments, the stationing of foreign troops, and the continued system of spheres of influence were seen as humiliating and a violation of Chinese sovereignty. The protocol entrenched the power of the foreign imperialist powers and limited China's ability to control its own economic and political affairs. This fueled a growing sense of Chinese nationalism and a desire to resist foreign domination, setting the stage for future conflicts and the eventual overthrow of the Qing dynasty.

Related terms

Boxer Rebellion: A violent anti-foreign and anti-Christian uprising that occurred in China from 1899 to 1901, led by the Boxer secret society.

Spheres of Influence: Areas within China where certain foreign powers exerted economic and political control, dividing the country into exclusive trading zones.

Open Door Policy: A policy proposed by the United States that called for equal commercial access and opportunities for all nations in China.