总理衙门成立以后,清政府重要的对外政策都是由总理衙门大臣和后来设在南京及天津的南北洋大臣决定的。在李鸿章担任两江总督之后,南洋大臣一般都是由两江总督兼任,导致两江总督的外交权力更加吃重。而外国的外交官们也热衷于采用“自上而下”的方式,即直接与中央政府或高官打交道,~①这使得两江总督在外交事务中扮演了更为重要的角色。 After the establishment of the Yamen, the important foreign policy of the Qing government was decided by the chancellor of the Tsungli Yamen and later the Ministers of the North and the South who were later located in Nanjing and Tianjin. After Li Hung-chang became governor-general of the two rivers, Nanyang’s chancellors were generally both run by the two governors of the two rivers, causing the diplomatic power of the governor-general of the two rivers to become even more burdensome. Foreign diplomats are also keen to adopt a “top-down” approach, dealing directly with the central government or senior officials. This has made the two governors of the two rivers play a more important role in foreign affairs.