China and the Washington conference

The Chinese delegates to the Washington Conference of 1921-1922 came to the United States with the hope that the conference could result in the termination, or at least the revision, of the unequal treaties, which had been imposed on China by the Western powers since 1840. The Chinese also believed that the independence and integrity of China had vital importance for the peace of Asia, even the whole world. Thus, the Chinese wanted the Western powers to ensure China's security. If the Chinese came to Washington with high expectations, they left with deep disappointments. Despite their success in some areas, the Chinese failed in the Washington Conference to achieve their fundamental goals. The Washington Conference failed to solve China's problems, neither did it give peace to the Far East and the Pacific areas.

Digitization of this thesis was made possible by a generous grant from the Jefferson Trust, 2015.