Open Door Notes/Territory

Secretary of State John Hay: first articulated the concept of the “Open Door” in China in a series of notes in 1899–1900." http://history.state.gov/milestones/1899-1913/hay-and-china

• "The 1899 Open Door notes provided that (1) each great power should maintain free access to a treaty port or to any other vested interest within its sphere, (2) only the Chinese government should collect taxes on trade, and (3) no great power having a sphere should be granted exemptions from paying harbour dues or railroad charges. The replies from the various nations were evasive, but Hay interpreted them as acceptances." http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/429642/Open-Door-policy
• "The idea behind the Open Door Notes originated with British and American China experts, Alfred E. Hippisley and William W. Rockhill. Both men believed that their countries’ economic interests in China would be best protected and promoted by a formal agreement among the European powers on the principle of maintaining an Open Door for trade and commercial activity." http://history.state.gov/milestones/1899-1913/hay-and-china
•  "Because China was practically self-sufficient, its emperors had little interest in trading with Europeans."
• http://www.coedu.usf.edu/main/departments/seced/webq/social%20studies/history/jberringer/webquest.htm