奕劻的外交活动述评

A Review of Yikuang′s Diplomatic Activities

鸦片战争后,以清廷为中心的不平等条约体系逐步形成,作为总理各国事务大臣的奕劻在其中扮演了重要角色。中葡交涉期间,奕劻试图在澳门设关立司以遏止走私,却间接承认了葡萄牙占据澳门的合法性。中英议约时,奕劻为巩固西南边防承认了英国对缅甸的占领。他还主张开启藏边贸易,以"商务"换"防务"。虽然奕劻在外交活动中屡屡割让利权,但其制定驻外武官制度,借外交以学习西方军事,这对晚清外交建设不无贡献。

Since the Opium War,the unequal treaty system centered on the Qing dynasty had been gradually formed.Yikuang played an important role in it as the prime minister of Foreign Affairs Ministry.During Sino-Portuguese negotiations,Yikuang cracked down on smuggling by setting up customs and tax divisions in Macao with indirect recognition of the legitimacy of the Portuguese occupying Macao.During Sino-British negotiations,Yikuang acknowledged British occupation of Burma in order to consolidate southwestern border defense and advocated opening of border trade in Tibet,replacing ＂defense＂ with ＂ business＂.Although Yikuang sought signing peace treaties in diplomatic activities,ceding lands or rights,but he advocated establishment of a system about military attaches stationed abroad,learning western military science in diplomacy,contributing to the construction of diplomacy in the late Qing dynasty.