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President McKinley states a desire for an open door into China for which all trading nations may have access to the Chinese market.
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Armed conflict between Spain and the United States
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Secretary of State John Hay circulates diplomatic notes among the major powers, enabling the secretary to be credited with authoring the Open Door policy. Hay’s called for the establishment of equal trading rights to all nations in all parts of China and for recognition of Chinese territorial integrity. The impact of such an Open Door Policy would be to put all of the imperial nations on an equal footing and minimize the power of those nations with existing spheres of influence.
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Chinese nationalists resort to armed opposition in an attempt to end foreign occupation of their country.
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A military conflict between the empires of Japan and Russia taking place in northeastern China, as well as naval battles surrounding the Korean peninsula.
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Japan levies 21 demands on China, threatening war should they refuse. These demands were the purpose of gaining immense influence on the region and growing Japan's sphere of influence heavily over the nation.
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The United States calls for a disarmament conference attended by itself, Japan, China, France, Britain, Italy, Belgium, Netherlands, and Portugal as an effort to shore up the Open Door.
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Japan expands their control into Manchuria through out the 1930's, bringing a challenge to establishment of the Open Door into China.
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Japan begins their invasion of Manchuria.
