open-door policy

Economic philosophy of equal access by all nations to another nation's markets. The term was proposed by US Secretary of State John Hay in September 1899 to allow all nations free access to trade with China, at a time when Japan and European powers had carved much of China into spheres of influence. The term has also been used by the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) to describe the openness of the alliance to new members.

Coming late into imperialism, the USA held no influence in China in the late 1800s, yet desired access to China for trading purposes. Hay therefore negotiated in 1899–1900 an agreement with the UK, Germany, France, Italy, Japan, and Russia guaranteeing equal trading rights throughout all of China and preservation of China's territorial integrity. The agreement remained the basis of US policy towards China until the establishment of the Communist regime there in 1949. Japan's violations of the agreement prior to World War II led to friction between the USA and Japan.