Final answer:
The Open Door policy and The Washington Conference are both related to U.S. strategies to promote trade and maintain balance of power in Asia through diplomatic means rather than military force.
Step-by-step explanation:
The Open Door policy and The Washington Conference are both related to the United States' diplomatic efforts in the early 20th century to maintain a balance of power in Asia and to promote American trade interests. The Open Door policy, articulated through the Open Door notes sent by Secretary of State John Hay, was an effort to ensure equal trading opportunities in China for all nations and to prevent any one power from dominating trade with China. This was a new, nonmilitary tactic in the expansion of the American empire, relying on diplomatic strategies rather than territorial conquest or military intervention.
During the Washington Conference of 1921-1922, similar principles were applied but in the context of naval disarmament and preventing a naval arms race in the Pacific region. The conference aimed to establish limits on naval capacities among the major powers, which included agreements that would indirectly support the Open Door policy by maintaining stability and balance in the Asia-Pacific region. The Open Door policy and the Washington Conference are therefore connected through the United States' broader strategy of promoting open international trade and maintaining a stable balance of power without resorting to military aggression.