一八八〇年代中葉におけるシャムの對佛・對清關係

Abstract

This study examines the question of how Siam viewed, maintained, and attempted to alter and further develop relations with both France and Siam's neighboring countries in Asia, in particular China, as revealed through Thai archival records. The mid-1880s and onward is generally regarded as a period of increasing colonial threat for Siam as France and Britain gradually colonized Siam's neighboring countries, such as Burma and Vietnam. But it was also the period in which Siam had to face renewed demands for tribute from Qing China. Amidst the worsening confrontation between China and France over Vietnam, France secretly proposed that Siam dispatch 500 troops to support France in its expected war against China on the ground that in the event of French victory, Siam would be able to end its tributary relations with Qing China, Siam would then be recognized as a fully independent country, and Siam's relationship with France would become even closer. Suspecting the possible collaboration between Siam and France, Qing China also dispatched Zheng Guanying, who sounded Siam's true intention and suggested a possibility of cooperation between Siam and China. In response, Siam declined the proposal from France; and Siam did not react positively to Zheng Guanying's suggestion either, while denying Zheng their possible collaboration with France. There were several concerns behind these responses. Considering the economic benefits from thriving trade with China and the existence of a large number of Chinese communities in Siam, forceful measures as proposed by France might be a source of future trouble. Therefore, it would not be acceptable for Siam, even though its relations with Qing China were strained over the question of the renewal of tribute. Moreover, Siam also feared that its relation with Vietnam, which had just been restored, would also be in trouble again and result in the deterioration of security and order in border areas between Siam and Vietnam. Likewise, Siam, despite a firm determination not to send tribute to China again and thus had started to build up defense against a possible request of tribute from China by force, had to avoid an open refusal of the request for tribute from Qing China in order not to provoke China and Chinese communities in Siam. Therefore, instead, they responded to China's request for tribute by stressing the friendly relations between the two. Faced with these pressures, Siam also tried to bring out favorable conditions for them by approaching Britain. Existing studies on Siamese diplomatic relations during the latter half of the nineteenth century and onward have emphasized the colonial threat of Western powers. But Siamese responses to France and China in the mid-1880s, as examined in this article, indicate the significance of the relations with neighboring states in Asia, particularly China, and the necessity of shifting the frame of analysis to place Siamese relations with Asia at its center and those with Western powers within the contexts of Asia.