S. State Department that a new Sino-American treaty be drafted. In January 1887, negotiations began as American politicians were readying for the 1888 presidential election campaign. The U.S. originally wanted Chinese immigration suspended for 30 years, as well as a prohibition of all certified Chinese residents returning to America after visiting China. The Chinese agreed to suspend new emigration for 20 years and to forbid the return of Chinese-American laborers who visited China, unless they held property or financial claims or had family in the U.S. The Chinese government asked the U.S. government to provide better protection of resident Chinese and indemnities in cases of future outbreaks of anti-Chinese violence. Although negotiations were difficult, they finally had an agreement in March of 1888. The Bayard-Zhang Treaty prohibited Chinese immigration or the return of Chinese laborers to the U.S. For 20 years, unless the laborers had assets worth at least $1,000...
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