In 1897, a concession for the Beijing–Hankou railway was awarded to a Belgian consortium backed by French financing. The British were then the dominant foreign power in China, and the Belgian concession would keep the important route out of British hands.
The Beijing–Hankou railway concession was awarded to a Belgian company with French backing in 1897. At that time, the British held sway as the leading foreign force in China, and securing this concession would prevent it from falling into British hands.