German Colonial Expansion into China in the Late 19th Century

Abstract

The article examines the policy pursued by Germany in the East Asian region in the late 19th century aimed at acquiring an ice-free port in China for further economic expansion in the region. The author analyzes economic and military-political reasons for German expansion into East Asia in the late 19th – early 20th centuries and reveals the reasons for choosing the port of Jiaozhou as the main target for German colonial expansion in East Asia and the role of Alfred von Tirpitz, the future creator of the German “high seas fleet,” in choosing that port. In addition to that, the author identifies the degree of the German Navy’s influence in the region and assesses its efforts to turn Jiaozhou into a model colony. It is noted that there was a gradual transformation of the German colonial policy in China under the influence of the interests of the two largest powers in the region – Great Britain and Russia. It is shown that Anglo–Russian antagonism was used to strengthen German position in East Asia and to create its own zone of influence in the region. The author concludes that the capture of Jiaozhou Bay in November 1897 launched a new stage of European policy in relation to China, which was the starting point in the territorial division of China between the great powers that had their own interests in East Asia.

Keywords

• colonial expansion
• international relations
• sales markets
• german empire
• russian empire
• far east