ditions there, including economic, military strength and foreign policy. Following the visits made to Japan in 1876 and 1881, King Kojong issued a proclamation in which he stated his new policy for enlightenment and progress.After long periods of Chinese dominance in Korea, the Korean government acted with defiance, ignoring instructions from China. Anti-Chinese riots took place in Seoul, and Chinese shops were looted and burned down. However, the more the Koreans tried to shake off Chinese control, the stronger Chinese efforts were to keep Korea as their protectorate. The Japanese government rejected the Chinese notion that Korea was a vassal to China and stated that Japan had never recognized Korea as a vassal state of China. The Chinese refused the Japanese proposal for join actions in Korea to bring about reforms, restore peace, and improve the internal relations of the Korean government. The Japanese threatened Korea to make her independence from China clear and when Korea opposed, on August 1, Japan and China declared war. The Japanese troops quickly demonstrated their superiority over Chinese troops and the Korean government became helplessly dominated by the Japanese. A peace treaty was concluded in which the Chinese recognized Korean independence, agreed to pay a large war indemnity, cede Taiwan, and lease the Liaotung Peninsula to Japan for twenty-five years. Soon after Japan had established firm control over Korea, the influence of the Japanese collapsed, and the reformers faced increasing difficulties in the wake of the Triple Intervention and the October incident of 1895. With the cooperation of France and Germany, the joint demand to the Japanese government cancelled the Liaotung lease. This action taken by three Western powers was known as the Triple Intervention. Japan had no choice but to meet the demands of the three powerful Western nations. The cancellation of the Liaotung lease by Japan was regarded by the Korean...
