ABSTRACT
The acquisition of Kiaochau by Germany gave a slightly different turn to Russian policy. The original impetus to Germany's policy in China arose out of her experience in the China-Japanese war. The Chinese Government, however, refused the German request on the ground that it might provoke similar desires from other States. Russia's opposition to Germany's demands was evidently motivated by a desire to serve Russian and not Chinese interests in China. It pointed out that the occupation of Kiaochau by the Germans offered a favourable occasion for us to seize one of the Chinese ports, notably Port Arthur or the adjacent Ta-lien-wan. The German Government agreed to withdraw their military instructors from the zone named by the Russian Government in the memorandum. The German Government approached the Government of Russia directly to obtain acquiescence in the acquisition of Kiaochau. The Russian Government knew that Britain would not oppose their acquisition of a commercial port.
