Greetings, this is a letter from the Chinese Emperor to the Japanese Emperor. The letter states that our two countries are quite close, have always had a good relationship, and are quite friendly. Recently, a diplomat was killed here, which is truly heartbreaking! While we are catching the culprit and resolving civil disputes, other countries suspect us of showing favoritism towards the populace, being hostile towards Christianity, and then they seized our fortifications. Now, suddenly war has broken out, and the situation is becoming increasingly chaotic.
Just consider how complicated the international situation has become, with the East and West in confrontation; our two countries stand as pillars of the East. Those countries dominating the West and eyeing us, are their targets only China? If we falter, Japan may also struggle to maintain its stability. The destinies of our two countries are closely related, and now we should put aside our minor disagreements and work together to maintain the overall situation. Our country is busy fighting bandits, dealing with various troubles, and solving problems, and we really need Japan's help. So, I write to you to candidly share these circumstances. I hope the Japanese Emperor can take a leading role in stabilizing the situation.
We eagerly await your response; we are truly looking forward to your reply!
◇Japan's Response to China's Letter
(Original text is retained, no translation provided)
Emperor of Japan:
Regarding the incident of Secretary Sugiyama being killed, we had heard about it before, but we did not have any concrete information to confirm it. It was not until we recently received a call from your country that we learned that this was true, and we are deeply saddened. Recently, the Northern Boxers have become more and more rampant, spreading chaos far and wide. The envoys and officials stationed in Beijing are being surrounded and attacked by them, and we even heard that an envoy from a certain country was killed by them. The military dispatched by your country has not been able to protect the envoys or suppress the bandits, which is utterly unacceptable! International law clearly stipulates that diplomats have immunity and are inviolable. Even the slightest offense against diplomats constitutes a violation of international law, let alone killing envoys!
Now, if your government can effectively suppress the banditry and protect the envoys of various countries in Beijing, then other matters will be much easier to handle. Therefore, the Emperor of the Qing Dynasty must now take on the responsibilities he must fulfill both at home and abroad, and must not hesitate at all. Since last month, countries have been sending troops to Tianjin, and we in Japan have also had to increase our military presence to jointly address this matter.
However, this is solely to suppress the bandits and protect the envoys, and there is no other intention. Therefore, if your government can quickly rescue the envoys from the encirclement, it will show your government's genuine desire to avoid conflict with other nations and will also reduce your troubles. Our two countries have always been friendly, and as long as it is a matter of real importance, we in Japan will not refuse. Now, if your government can swiftly take action to quell the banditry and thereby prove that you are indeed protecting the envoys, then in the future, when negotiating peace with other nations, we in Japan will also do our utmost to safeguard your interests.
This is my reply; please inform the Emperor of the Qing Dynasty.
July 13, 1900
◇ The Kaiser’s Reply to the Chinese National Letter
Ah, Emperor of the Qing Dynasty, greetings! I have received your telegram and letter of state, and I understand that you have specially held a ceremony according to your country's religious customs to honor the souls of my envoy who died tragically, as a way to express your apology to our country. However, even though I am an emperor, I am also a believer, and I cannot accept that merely holding a ceremony can absolve the serious responsibility for the killing of my envoy! Moreover, in addition to my envoy, many missionaries, believers, and even women and children have also died tragically due to missionary work, which is deeply troubling! Besides, the faith of those missionaries is the same as my own!
As for the siege of the embassy, I can't lay all the blame on you; the primary responsibility rests with the officials in your country and those who were responsible for the deaths of the missionaries. How can we let them off so easily? If you can bring these culprits to justice, not only will it bring me satisfaction, but all the nations that adhere to this faith will also be pleased! Also, I sincerely hope you can return to Beijing soon. I have instructed Commander Wadesi to welcome you with imperial honors and to have his soldiers protect you. As for the peace talks, I am also very willing. However, after the negotiations, we need to ensure that in the future, foreigners can visit your country without fearing for their lives and property, and that ordinary citizens can continue to practice their faith; only then will there be real benefits.
Greetings, Emperor of Russia! I’m delighted to hear you’ve recovered from your illness! Upon hearing of your illness, I immediately sent Yang Ru to visit you, as I have been concerned about your well-being. After all, our country has recently gone through great difficulties, and your strong support has been invaluable to us, and your health is closely tied to our nation's well-being.
I heard that you have put a lot of effort into maintaining our country's territorial rights, and now you have specially sent someone to maintain peace in the Northeast and agreed to let our officials manage the three eastern provinces. You know, the three eastern provinces are the ancestral homeland of our people, and our ancestral tombs are there, so I am truly overjoyed and immensely grateful for your actions!
Your wise and just actions at this time are crucial for the overall situation; they will undoubtedly enhance the glory of your reign and can also serve as an opportunity to further our friendship between our two neighboring countries. May heaven bless us, so that our two nations may enjoy lasting peace and happiness, trusting and helping each other in the future!
October 22, 1900
Greetings to the Emperor of Russia! May the Emperor of the Qing Dynasty enjoy peace and prosperity. A few days ago, your country's envoy visited us and brought your handwritten letter, which expressed sincere friendship and touched us deeply. During the recent internal turmoil in your country, we in Russia have always prioritized our diplomatic relations with your country while addressing this matter, and I believe you have noticed this as well. We have also publicly stated that Russia's principle in handling Eastern affairs remains unchanged: to uphold the sovereignty of neighboring countries. You have clearly understood this intention in your letter, and I would like to express my gratitude for that.
However, there are now some absurd claims suggesting that the situation in Manchuria has altered our previous agreements, misleading your wise judgment, which I find rather puzzling. In fact, that is not the case at all! The orders we issued to our military commanders are entirely consistent with what we have previously stated. All matters discussed between our government and your plenipotentiary minister are aimed at consolidating the friendly relations between our two nations, which have endured for over two hundred years. We have no intention of interfering with Your Majesty's sovereignty; rather, we are keen to fully return the Manchuria region to your officials for their administration, restoring everything to the state it was in before the Russian troops arrived.
However, further clarification on the details is necessary so that your officials can gradually restore order and prevent further unrest that could jeopardize the peace along our shared borders. All these details need to be clarified this time. We will hand over the specific orders to your plenipotentiary minister, ensuring that the matters we discussed are smoothly completed and that actions that will benefit your country are implemented promptly, which is what we most hope to see. We hope that once your country overcomes this upheaval, it will return to its former tranquility, maintain lasting peace, and that the friendship between our two nations will be strengthened for generations to come; this is our greatest wish. We kindly ask for your attention to this matter, Your Majesty.
◇ A letter from the Qing court to the Russian court
The Emperor of the Qing Dynasty extends his greetings to the Emperor of Russia. Previously, due to the internal conflicts among the people in China, there were disturbances that unsettled the overall situation, and we sincerely dispatched a letter, conveyed via telegraph by Yang Ru, hoping you could see it.
Now, apart from the fighting that has begun in Tianjin, we have clearly issued orders for the commercial ports in other provinces, instructing the governors to ensure the protection of foreign merchants, and everyone is getting along peacefully. We are also doing our best to protect the embassies in Beijing, and fortunately, they are all safe for now. However, in Heilongjiang and Jilin provinces, which border your country, we received reports from the generals there two days ago saying that rioters in the Hulan area are rallying railway workers to protest, and Russian soldiers have quietly crossed onto the territory north and south of Daling. We immediately ordered the defense units to ensure their safety and sent a telegram to Amur to dispatch more troops. As a result, General Komissar brought troops and opened fire in retaliation, resulting in casualties on both sides. The generals are responsible for defending the territory and repelling foreign troops, which is why they engaged in combat. However, China does not want to escalate border conflicts and has sternly warned Shoushan to focus solely on defending the homeland and not to cross borders seeking battle. We also hope that your emperor will command the border officials to defend their borders and not create further conflicts; this would be best. As for the situation in Tianjin, we hope your emperor will look at the previous letters and resolve this disturbance, allowing China and foreign nations to coexist peacefully as they did before and share in a prosperous era. We are very much looking forward to this.
◇ China to France
The Great Qing Emperor respectfully greets His Majesty the Emperor of France. Our two countries have always been friendly. Now, due to the disturbances caused by rioters, various countries suspect that our nation favors the common people and harbors animosity toward missionaries, which has made everyone very angry, leading to a joint attack on us and the occupation of Dagu Fort. The situation has escalated to this point and is nearly beyond repair. Since our country is being forced by circumstances, we have no option but to depend on your country to help resolve the disputes. Moreover, our negotiations with your country regarding the border in Guangxi and Yunnan have gone very smoothly, and I believe you are already aware of this.
Goodness, this letter is really quite formal! Let's first translate the first paragraph: I am writing this letter to you with special sincerity, and I sincerely hope you, Uncle, can find a way to stabilize the situation, shoulder heavy responsibilities, and turn things around. I am really looking forward to your reply! June of the 26th year of Guangxu.
Next is the congratulatory telegram from the Qing government to the new King of Britain: The Emperor of the Qing Dynasty is delighted to hear that the new monarch of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland has ascended the throne, and is very happy! We deeply admire the new monarch's exceptional talent, and now that he has inherited the throne, his governance will surely bring greater benefits to the people. Our two countries will continue to maintain friendly relations and remain friendly forever. We send our warmest wishes and heartfelt congratulations to the new monarch. We are sending this telegram of congratulations first, and will subsequently send a special envoy with the national letter to express our congratulations; we hope the new monarch will graciously accept it.
Now let's look at the letter regarding the withdrawal of Russian troops: The Emperor of Russia writes to the President of the United States: Although we in Russia also participated in the action to enter Beijing, we have no intention of occupying Chinese territory. We only seek to protect our embassy in Beijing and help restore order in China. Our military presence in the three northeastern provinces is also aimed at protecting our national borders, with no other intentions. As for occupying Niuzhuang, it is also necessary for military operations in the northern provinces. Once the situation calms down, if other countries do not hinder us, we will certainly withdraw our troops immediately. Now that the Chinese government is no longer in Beijing, our envoys no longer need to stay in Beijing, and I have ordered our envoys and all accompanying staff to leave Beijing together. I will also order the troops stationed in Beijing to withdraw.
When the Chinese government is willing to negotiate peace with various countries, we in Russia can send a special envoy again. All of the above reflects our true thoughts in Russia, and we sincerely hope your government can collaborate with us. Lastly, the reply from the American government to Russia: (This part is omitted because the original text does not provide the response from the American government.)
The President of the United States replied to His Majesty the Emperor of Russia, saying: Upon receiving your letter, I understand that your government has no intention of demanding land from China, but only wishes to protect your embassy and assist in suppressing banditry in China. This fully reflects your country’s solidarity with other nations, and we are very pleased about it! Your statement aligns with the opinions of other countries, which also have no intention of demanding land from China. Once the siege of Beijing is lifted, we should reiterate this point. If all nations can coordinate their discussions, resolving matters with China should not be overly difficult. Once disputes with China are resolved, all rights stipulated in the treaties of various nations will be permanently guaranteed. With rights secured, industries will be safe; however, compensation must be made for properties that have already been damaged.
We have learned that most provinces in China are stable and eager to protect the lives and property of foreigners, and several provincial governors are doing their utmost to eliminate banditry. Therefore, European and American countries have ordered their consuls and naval officials in China to actively persuade the governors to do so. Currently, the embassies of various countries are being protected, and the next step should be to ensure that the lives, property, and all rightful rights of foreigners in China receive equal protection; for provinces in China that have not yet experienced turmoil, preventive measures must be taken proactively, and if there is insufficient strength, countries should provide assistance and find ways to ensure China’s lasting stability, while protecting China’s territory to prevent disputes, ensuring that Chinese affairs remain managed by the Chinese; the rights stipulated in the treaties of various countries should be protected, enabling nations around the world to trade and interact with various regions of China.
Regarding your letter about your government’s current stationing at Niuzhuang for military operations in the northern provinces, once the local situation stabilizes, provided that other countries do not intervene against your country, your country can withdraw its troops, for which we are very grateful and will absolutely not create difficulties for your country. Moreover, our country’s policy has been established and publicly announced several times to all nations, so your country need not have any doubts.
Date: Year 1900
