In the Sino-Japanese War of 1894-'95, Japan defeated the Qing Dynasty, and removed its influence over its formal vassal Korea; However, in spite of the fact that the Liaodong Peninsula was ceded to Japan by the Qing under the Treaty of Shimonoseki, Japan was prompted to return Liaodong to the Qing under pressure from the Triple Intervention of Russia, France, and Germany that sought to secure their own ambitions in China.
朝鮮を属国としていた清との日清戦争に勝利し、朝鮮半島への影響力を排除したものの、中国への進出を目論むロシア、フランス、ドイツからの三国干渉によって、下関条約で割譲を受けた遼東半島は清に返還された。