Visit Russia and sign a secret treaty between China and Russia
At that time, Russia was building trans-siberian railway across Europe and Asia. 1896 In May, it coincided with the coronation ceremony of Tsar Nicholas II, and all countries sent special envoys to congratulate him. The Qing government plans to send military envoy Wang Zhichun. Russian Ambassador to China Cassini complained to the Qing government that Wang Zhichun "speaks lightly and does not deserve this responsibility". Therefore, the Qing government reassigned Li Hongzhang to Russia as an "imperial first-class minister".
On the one hand, the Qing court sent Li Hongzhang to Russia to submit to Russia, and on the other hand, it was based on the strategic consideration of "uniting Russia to control Japan". After the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-1895, the rising Japan posed a threat to China and caused a lot of losses. The Qing government wanted to use the contradiction between Japan and Russia in the northeast of China to unite Russia and limit Japan's expansion in China.
1On February 28th, 896, Cixi summoned Li Hongzhang. On March 3, Li Hongzhang left Beijing for the south and arrived in Shanghai on March 14.
At that time, Britain, France and Germany invited Li Hongzhang to visit first for profit. However, Russia was worried that Li Hongzhang's first visit to France and Germany was not conducive to Sino-Russian negotiations, so Cassini stepped forward and agreed to Li Hongzhang's itinerary.
On March 28th, Li Hongzhang and his party, accompanied by the staff of Russian, German, French, British and American embassies, set out from Shanghai by the French mail ship "Ai nast Simon". Li was accompanied by 45 people, including Li, Yu Shimei and others. After sailing for 1 month, it arrived in Odessa, the Russian port city, on April 27th. On April 30th, Li Hongzhang and his party arrived in Petersburg by special train, and held talks with Tsar Finance Minister Victor. On May 3rd, Victor proposed to Li Hongzhang the problem of "borrowing land to build roads" in China, and as a promise, he lured Li Hongzhang with Russia's "support for the integrity of China". Lured by Russia and backed down by Li Hongzhang, on June 3rd, Li Hongzhang signed the Sino-Russian Secret Treaty. With the signing of this treaty, Russia not only defrauded the privilege of building a transit railway in northeast China, but also opened the door for its future aggression against China.
Sent to Germany to meet Bismarck.
/kloc-In June of 0/3, Li Hongzhang went to Germany by train and stayed at the luxurious Caesar Hotel in Berlin. German hospitality, even the cigars that Li Hongzhang often smokes and the thrush that he often listens to are "hung in the cage for several years". On the bedroom wall, there is a photo frame hanging high, with Li Hongzhang on the left and Bismarck, the former German Prime Minister, on the right. /kloc-in June of 0/4, he visited Kaiser Wilhelm II in the palace, presented credentials, delivered a eulogy, thanked the German for its intervention in returning Liaodong, helped China train its troops, and bought mechanical casting boats. In June of 5438+05, at the invitation of the Kaiser, Li Hongzhang went to the palace to attend a state banquet. Then the Kaiser invited him to visit the German army.
When Li Hongzhang visited Germany for several days, he only felt that the German monarch and his subjects were well received, but he didn't know that there was a huge conspiracy behind them. German Foreign Minister Marcel and Li Hongzhang held two long political talks, each lasting several hours. On the pretext of returning meritorious service to Liao Dynasty, and under the banner of maintaining China's integrity, Germany seized various privileges of China, so as to enhance its position and ability to compete with the powers for hegemony in the Far East. Although Li Hongzhang fought to a certain extent, he finally made some compromises.
On June 27th, Li Hongzhang rushed to visit Bismarck near Hamburg. Bismarck gave a banquet in honor of Li Hongzhang. Li Hongzhang told Bismarck with a smile that some people claimed to be "Bismarck of the East", and Bismarck said with a smile that no one claimed to be "Li Hongzhang of Europe".
During his visit to Germany, Li Hongzhang was favored by the German business community. He used to be a big customer of German weapons and equipment, and the German business community hopes to further explore the China market through him. So the Chamber of Commerce holds banquets, visits factories and entertains.
Visiting the Netherlands, Belgium and France On July 5th, Li Hongzhang and his party arrived in The Hague, the Netherlands. In the evening, he attended a welcome banquet hosted in his honor by the Dutch government. He tasted western-style delicacies, sang and danced, was on cloud nine, and improvised poems to express his inner joy and gratitude to the Dutch government. Due to time constraints, Li Hongzhang left the Netherlands on July 8 and arrived in Brussels, the capital of Belgium.
The next day, Li Hongzhang met Belgian King Leopold II and discussed with him the construction of Lu Han Railway (now the northern section of Beijing-Guangzhou Railway). At that time, the powers were fighting for the right to build the Luhan Railway, and Russia supported France and Belgium. During his stay in Belgium, Li Hongzhang watched the military exercises of the Belgian army, visited the military factory and saw the latest products of the "Kogley" gun company. He marveled at the weapons and equipment of the Belgian army.
On July 3rd, 65438, Li Hongzhang arrived in Paris, France. It was on the eve of France's National Day. The next day, he went to the Elysee Palace to meet French President Faure, and was invited to visit the military performance held by the French army for the National Day and participate in the French National Day activities. During his visit to France, Li Hongzhang's negotiations with Russia continued, and he signed the articles of association of the Joint Venture Contract for the Establishment of the Oriental Railway Company with Luo Qitai, a representative of the Russian government. Li Hongzhang also held talks with French Foreign Minister Hannuoduo on "tax increase by the pound" (the measurement method that China demanded to increase tariffs on western powers). On behalf of the Qing government, Li Hongzhang demanded to raise tariffs on French goods exported to China. Although the French government agreed, it put forward more stringent conditions. Li Hongzhang was so angry that he criticized Hannuoduo for "bordering on blackmail and hindering friendship", but he was helpless in demanding France. Later, Li Hongzhang visited newspapers, schools, museums, factories and mines. On August 2nd, Li Hongzhang ended his visit to France, then crossed the English Channel on a special ferry sent by the French government and began his visit to Britain.
Visit the British Parliament
After Li Hongzhang arrived in Britain, he met with Queen Victoria, visited former British Prime Minister Gladstone, and held talks with British Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary Salisbury on the issue of "increasing pound tax". However, Britain also wanted to gain more benefits from China on the condition of agreeing to China's "increasing pound tax".
Seeing that the situation would not improve, Li Hongzhang began to examine the western political system. He first went to the British House of Commons, sat in a special seat, and listened to the members discussing state affairs. Regrettably, few members attended the meeting that day, which was "not very impressive". Later, he came to the House of Lords, watched the special "throne of the monarch" in the courtyard, and had a "brief conversation" with members.
At Portsmouth Military Port, Li Hongzhang visited the British naval fleet. Britain holds a naval review every year. When Li Hongzhang arrived, the inspection was over, and the ships were scattered to various garrison locations one after another, but there were still 47 ships moored at Portsmouth Military Port. Li Hongzhang took a royal boat, sailed into the fleet, circled for two weeks, and went straight to Portsmouth. Li Hongzhang marveled: The ships "lined up and cleaned up, and their military capacity was magnificent." He sighed with emotion: "I am in Beiyang, doing my best, doing my best, and I have become an army of my own." Judging from today's thinking, is the comparison between the little witch and the big witch true? "
Li Hongzhang also visited British shipyards, gun factories, steel mills, telegraph offices and banks. He was deeply impressed by Britain's advanced science and technology and mechanized production. He said, "Everything in the world is in Britain!" Li Hongzhang also made a survey of British politics and religion. He said that for European politics and religion, he used to be "grateful without witnessing", but this time "seeing is believing, better than hearing."
Visiting the United States and Canada On August 22nd, Li Hongzhang and his party ended their last stop in Europe, Britain, and sailed across the Atlantic to visit the United States. After six days' sea voyage, he arrived in new york on 28th. In order to welcome Li Hongzhang, American President Cleveland, who is on vacation by the sea, specially rushed to new york to meet Li Hongzhang. The two sides discussed the issue of "increasing taxes by pounds". The American negotiator was even more cunning and said to Li Hongzhang, "If all countries allow it, the United States will follow." On September 3rd, Li Hongzhang met with the leaders of American Christian churches and exchanged views on the activities of American missionaries in China and the similarities and differences between "The Way of Confucius and the Way of Jesus". American church leaders trumpeted the so-called "merits" of missionaries in China in religion, charity and culture, trying to describe aggression as friendship and thanking the Qing court and Li Hongzhang for protecting American missionaries in China. While being "modest", Li Hongzhang sang praises for American missionaries in China. American church leaders were "full of joy" after hearing this.
After leaving new york, Li Hongzhang arrived in Philadelphia, visited the American Independence Hall and liberty bell, and then went to Washington, D.C., where he visited the U.S. Congress and library. On September 5th, Li Hongzhang and his party left Washington for British Canada. Passing through the US-Canada border, he visited Niagara Falls, enjoyed the natural scenery here, and then went to Toronto. After a short stay in Toronto, Li Hongzhang and his party arrived in Vancouver, the west coast city of Canada. At this point, Li Hongzhang's trip to Europe and America has all ended. On September 14, he and his party returned to China by the American Pacific Shipping Company. When passing through Yokohama, Japan, because of "hatred of the Shimonoseki Agreement", I vowed not to land in Japan for life, instead of landing from Yokohama, and transferred to China Merchants "Guangli" to return to Tianjin.
Gains and losses of global visit
Li Hongzhang's visit to Europe and America lasted 190 days, from March 28th to June 3rd. In the meantime, after four continents, three oceans, land and sea and nine Wan Li, I traveled to eight European and American countries, especially the five European and American countries at that time. As a 70-year-old man, it is not easy. It can be said that he was the first minister to visit the world in the Qing Dynasty. During his visit, he inspected the politics, economy, military, science and technology and culture of major western capitalist countries, deeply observed the gap between China and the West, and truthfully stated what he saw and heard in Europe and the United States to Emperor Guangxu and Cixi, hoping that China could catch up with western powers. He also sympathized with bourgeois reformists ideologically. On the other hand, his diplomatic mission was to sign the Sino-Russian Secret Treaty and discuss "tax increase by pound", which was rejected. Because he signed the Sino-Russian Secret Treaty with Russia on behalf of the Qing government, which damaged China's sovereignty and caused serious future trouble. Sadly, however, after returning to China, Li Hongzhang said smugly to Huang Zunxian, "If you do nothing for twenty years, you will always get it." Just over a year after the signing of this secret agreement, Germany and Russia colluded with each other and successively leased China Jiaozhou Bay, Lushun and Dalian to establish their spheres of influence, followed by other western powers, dragging China to the brink of being carved up. At the same time, when Li Hongzhang visited other countries, he also betrayed some national interests to varying degrees.