Open Door Policy - Open Door Principle

Open Door Principle

In 1902, the United States government protested that Russian encroachment in Manchuria after the Boxer Rebellion was a violation of the Open Door Policy. When Japan replaced Russia in southern Manchuria after the Russo-Japanese War (1904–1905) the Japanese and U.S. governments pledged to maintain a policy of equality in Manchuria. In finance, American efforts to preserve the Open Door Policy led (1909) to the formation of an international banking consortium through which all Chinese railroad loans would agree (1917) to another exchange of notes between the United States and Japan in which there were renewed assurances that the Open Door Policy would be respected, but that the United States would recognize Japan's special interests in China (the Lansing-Ishii Agreement). The Open Door Policy had been further weakened by a series of secret treaties (1917) between Japan and the Allies, which promised Japan the German possessions in China on successful conclusion of World War I.

The increasing disregard of the Open Door Policy was a main reason for the convocation of the Washington Conference (1921–1922). As a result of the conference, the Nine-Power Treaty, again affirming the integrity and independence of China via the Open Door principle, was signed by the United States.

The "Open Door" was a principle, not a policy formally adopted into a treaty or international law. It was invoked or alluded to but never enforced as such. Starting with the Japanese seizure (1931) of Manchuria and the creation of Manchukuo, however, the Open Door principle was broken with impunity and increasing frequency.