Li-Lobanov Treaty
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The Li-Lobanov Treaty was a treaty concluded by the Russian Empire and China on June 3, 1896. The treaty led to a de facto and complete occupation and administration of Manchuria, a Chinese province, by the Russian Empire. By 1900, Manchuria was under full control until the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905.
The treaty allowed Russia to increase its presence in Manchuria as Russian personnel and police received extraterritorial jurisdiction. It allowed the use of Chinese ports by Russia in the case of war and China's consent to the construction of the China Eastern Railway (a part of the Trans-Siberian Railway). The railway was nominally a joint project, but was in reality completely financed and controlled by Russia. China was also not allowed to interfere with Russian troop movements or munitions and also had to grant Russia decreased tariff rates. Russia's other major demand was delivered in true gunboat diplomacy fashion by a naval fleet in December 1897. China was forced to lease the southern tip of the Liaotung Peninsula to Russia and allow a railway line to be built connecting it to the main Russian line. Construction of the Russian railroads increased the anti-foreign anger that was crucial in involving Manchuria in the Boxer rebellion of 1900. Under the guise of self-defense, Russia used the rebellion as a pretext to invade Manchuria and fully incorporated it into the Russian Empire.
