Social Sciences in China (Chinese Edition)

No.3, 2013

France and the First Sino-Japanese War

(Abstract)

Ge Fuping

Before and after the breakout of the First Sino-Japanese War, France proclaimed repeatedly that it had no immediate interests involved in the Korean issue and took a sideline attitude toward the war. But actually, it saw the war as a good chance to consolidate the Franco-Russian alliance and intrude into the south-western border of China, and was glad to see the breakout of the war. Throughout the period, it remained in the same stand with Russia to resist the dominance of Britain in the reconciliation. Later, as the results of the war became clear and as Japan’s wild ambition for invasion was exposed, France began to shift its wait-and-see attitude, and took an active part in the Russia-Britain-France intervention and the Russia-France-Germany intervention. It wished to stop Japan from occupying Taiwan and the Penghu Archipelago, so as to safeguard the overall interests of Europe and cement the Franco-Russia alliance, to prevent Japan from replacing Europe in dominating China, and to seek reciprocation from China. In negotiating the terms of returning the Liaodong Peninsula to China, France buried the hatchet with its old enemy Germany and reconciled the divergences between Germany and Russia, so that the three countries could take joint action. It also supported the idea that China’s interests should be sacrificed to meet the demands of Japan and Russia, so that the Liaodong Peninsula issue could be solved as soon as possible.