Abstract: During the Ryukyu Affair , the suzerain-vassal system between China and Ryukyu Islands was on the verge of collapse.What was the evolving Chinese public opinion regarding this event ? At the outset , the public demanded that the Qing government fight to retain the Ryukyu Islands , this gave way to a demand to abandon it , but ultimately public opinion supported retention.Actually , all these popular demands focused on suzerainty , unlike the J apanese demand to annex the Ryukyu Islands.Because the Chinese concept of foreign affairs lagged behind the international reality , the Qing government inevitably took a passive position on the Ryukyu Affair.