How did John Hay, the US Secretary of State who proposed the Open Door policy, respond to the fact that no countries formally agreed to the Open Door policy? A) He backed down and retracted the United States’ request for an Open Door policy. B) He declared that the countries’ lack of response meant that they agreed to the policy. C) He asked China to halt all trade in the Chinese Empire until an agreement was reached. D) He amending the rules of the Open Door Policy multiple times until all countries were satisfied.

The correct answer is B. John Hay declared tht the countries' lack of response meant that they agreed to the policy.

Explanation:

The Open Door policy was the American political doctrine held in China from 1899 to 1949, the beginning and basis of which were laid by the diplomatic statements of Secretary of State J. Hay. The essence of this policy was that China should pursue free trade and the free flow of capital.  

After the failed Boxer Rebellion, it was decided to divide China into spheres of influence between Britain, France, Germany, Russia and Japan. The United States was not among the powers that received power in China. This was the main reason for this doctrine.

The main point of the doctrine was to provide equal opportunities for European powers and the United States in trade policy in China. The United States suggested that the great powers in their spheres of influence or in the “rented” territory not to impede the interests of other powers and apply the Chinese contractual customs tariff on all goods, regardless of where they were made. It was also proposed to levy the same shipping charges. These measures provided favorable conditions for the penetration of American monopolies into the Chinese market, and the favorable treatment regime in the trade of European capital was minimized. In general, the Americans tried to appear to be benefactors, since the European powers brought a lot of misfortune and ruining to China through the Opium Wars, while the United Statesdid not participate in them, but wanted to get economic benefits in China too.