For centuries Korea was a tributary state of China. During the 19th century, however, Japan emerged as a military power in East Asia and threatened China's close relationship with Korea. Anxious to exert its military influence, Japan secured the Treaty of Kanghwa with Korea in 1876, ostensibly to protect Japanese fishermen in the Korea Strait. A provision of the treaty declared Korea unilaterally independent, which weakened China's association with Korea. Fearing a Japanese takeover of the peninsula, China encouraged Korea to also sign treaties with the United States, Britain, France, and Germany to increase international recognition of Korea's independence. China, however, continued to expect a privileged relationship with Korea. In March 1894 there was a domestic revolt against the Korean monarchy by the Tonghak religious cult, an anti-foreign secret society. Both China and Japan sent troops to help put down the rebellion. Once it was over, China proposed immediate withdrawal of foreign troops. On the pretext of helping to effect political and military reforms, however, Japan declared that its forces would remain in Korea. The Japanese occupied the royal palace, and in July they made a surprise attack on Chinese naval vessels stationed in Korean waters. A short conflict on land and sea followed and Japan won a decisive victory. By the terms of the Treaty of Shimonoseki, concluded on April 17, 1895, China was forced to acknowledge the complete independence of Korea; to cede the island of Taiwan, the P'enghu Islands, and the Liaodong Peninsula in northeastern China to Japan; and to pay a large indemnity. Concerned that the treaty would destabilize the colonial balance of power in East Asia, Russia, France, and Germany then forced a revision of the Treaty of Shimonoseki under which Japan had to renounce its claim to Liaodong.
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