Zeng Jize: The Qing’s Resident Minister to France as Seen Through the French Press

Abstract

In 1878, Zeng Jize was appointed as China’s minister to Britain and France, becoming the first Western-educated Chinese aristocrat to serve as a professional diplomat in the late Qing dynasty. His activities in Europe frequently featured in the French press, catering to Western curiosity about the Orient and sustaining public fascination. During his tenure, he engaged in several critical diplomatic events of the late Qing era, particularly during the Sino-French negotiations over Vietnam, where he proactively adapted Western diplomatic practices by leveraging press influence to advance China’s interests. Centered on Le Figaro, the French press’s portrayals of Zeng evolved significantly along with the shifting dynamics of the Sino-French negotiation over suzerainty in Vietnam and the changing military situation. The shift in this evaluation essentially reflects how Western public opinion served its own national colonial strategies amidst the advancement of French colonial ambitions. More profoundly, it reveals the historical predicament faced by late Qing diplomats from a weak nation navigating an international arena dominated by imperial powers.