李鸿章参与了中法战争中的对外交涉。与人们一般看法不同，李鸿章并非始终主和，而是不同阶段有不同的态度和表现。李鸿章的态度及变化与朝廷的态度有密切关系，他不是决策者，而是执行者。

Li Hongzhang was actively engaged in foreign affairs during the Sino-French war. Disagreeing with the popular view, this paper holds that Li did not insist on making peace throughout the war. The changes in Li’s position at different stages of the war were closely related to the views of the Qing court. Li did not determine policy; rather he executed the decisions of the central government.