The uprising was a reaction to Western and Japanese imperialist expansion in China that included European opium merchants, political invasion, economic manipulation, and missionary evangelization.

In 1898, local organizations in Shantung (now Shandong) rebelled in response to both imperialist expansion and internal Chinese problems such as the Qing dynasty's fiscal crisis and natural disasters.

On 21 June 1900, the conservative party in the Chinese Imperial Court induced Empress Dowager Cixi, who ruled China in the emperor's name, to declare war on foreign powers that had diplomatic representation in Peking.

On 5 July 1900 the Italian parliament authorized the creation of a relief force of around 2,000 men under the command of Collonnello ("Colonel") Vincenzo Garioni.

[3] Empress Dowager Cixi, the emperor, and the highest officials of the Chinese government fled from the imperial palace at the Forbidden City in Peking to Hsi-an (now Xian) and sent Li Hongzhang to begin peace negotiations.

[6] Royal Decree Number 195 of 21 April 1904 declared that personnel of the Regia Marina who served on the Korean Peninsula after 9 January 1904 were "on a war footing" and also eligible for the "China" variant.

On the reverse was the inscription "CINA 1900–1901" (CHINA 1900–1901) surrounded by two laurel branches in the form of a crown tied at the bottom with a ribbon.