総理各国事務衙門
In 1879, Manchu Prince Gong, head of the Zongli Yamen, China's equivalent of the Foreign Office, agreed to give over control and defense of China's coast to Robert Hart, then Inspector-General of China's Imperial Maritime Custom Service (IMCS). Xue advised Li Hongzhang on the serious consequences that could ensue if defense of China's coast rested in foreign hands. Following Xue's advice, Li Hongzhang asked Hart to resign his current post as Inspector-General in order to take up the new post, and as anticipated by Xue, Hart chose to retain his more lucrative assignment in the Custom Service.