The
Open Door Policy is a term in foreign affairs initially used to refer to the
United States policy established in the late 19th century and the early 20th century, as enunciated in Secretary of State
John Hay's
Open Door Note, dated September 6, 1899 and dispatched to the major European powers. The policy proposed to keep
China open to trade with all countries on an equal basis, keeping any one power from total control of the country, and calling upon all powers, within their
spheres of influence, to refrain from interfering with any
treaty port or any vested interest, to permit Chinese authorities to collect tariffs on an equal basis, and to show no favors to their own nationals in the matter of harbour dues or railroad charges.