Gresham-Yang Treaty of 1894
The Gresham-Yang Treaty of 1894 was a significant agreement between the United States and China that established strict immigration controls, particularly targeting Chinese workers. This treaty came in the wake of the Scott Act of 1888, which largely barred Chinese immigration to the U.S. The Gresham-Yang Treaty prohibited the immigration of Chinese laborers into the United States for a decade while allowing certain conditions under which returning Chinese immigrants could be readmitted, specifically if they had family ties, property, or significant debts in America. The treaty exempted Chinese officials, students, and merchants, reflecting a nuanced approach to immigration despite the broader exclusion.
In 1904, China refused to renew the treaty, seeking a more equitable agreement amidst rising tensions regarding the treatment of Chinese immigrants in the U.S. This situation catalyzed a boycott of American goods by Chinese merchants and increased political activism within China. The U.S. administrations of Presidents McKinley and Roosevelt largely ignored China's appeals, leading to an indefinite extension of exclusionary policies by Congress after China denounced the treaty. Overall, the Gresham-Yang Treaty underscores the complexities of international relations and immigration policies during a time of significant social and political change.
On this Page
Subject Terms
Gresham-Yang Treaty of 1894
The Law: U.S.-Chinese agreement that suspended immigration of Chinese laborers to the United States for ten years but allowed conditional readmission of immigrants who were visiting China
Date: Signed on December 7, 1894
Also known as: Sino-American Treaty of 1894
Significance:The Gresham-Yang Treaty did away with the terms of the Scott Act of 1888 and placed exclusion and registration laws passed since 1882 on a proper treaty basis. Proposed renewal of the treaty caused China to call for a boycott of American goods and the U.S. Congress to extend exclusion indefinitely.
The Scott Act of 1888 excluded virtually all Chinese from entering the United States, including those who had traveled from the United States to visit China. It was superseded in 1894 by the Gresham-Yang Treaty, which stipulated total prohibition of immigration of Chinese workers into the United States for the next ten years, with the promise that immigrants who were visiting China could be readmitted. Readmission was allowed only if returning Chinese immigrants had family living in America or property or debts owed to them of at least one thousand dollars. The treaty exempted Chinese officials, students, and merchants.
In 1904, China refused to renew the Gresham-Yang Treaty and asked to negotiate a less harsh agreement. Chinese merchants called for a boycott of American goods. Unrest over the mistreatment of Chinese immigrants in America changed the political landscape in China by fueling political participation of the Chinese populace. The administrations of U.S. presidents William McKinley and Theodore Roosevelt showed little concern over China’s repeated protests and warnings. When China denounced the Gresham-Yang Treaty in 1904, the U.S. Congress extended exclusion indefinitely.
Bibliography
Cassel, Susie Lan, ed. The Chinese in America: A History from Gold Mountain to the New Millennium. Walnut Creek, Calif.: AltaMira Press, 2002.
Lee, Erika. At America’s Gates: Immigration During the Exclusion Era, 1882-1943. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2007.