The Open Door Policy was a policy of the United States government towards China from 1899 to 1941, which sought to maintain equal access for all countries to trade and investment in China. It was first proposed by Secretary of State John Hay in 1899, and was supported by subsequent U.S. administrations. The Open Door Policy was designed to prevent any single country from gaining a monopoly on trade with China, and to ensure that all countries had equal access to the Chinese market. The Open Door Policy was not a development that took place in the United States during the late 19th century.