"Japan and China are isolated and without intercourse with other countries; hence the President directed me to attend to or watch the state of affairs in China also"

Townsend Harris's quote reflects a duration in the mid-19th century when both Japan and China were viewed by Western powers as being isolated from international diplomatic and industrial exchanges. Throughout this time, Japan stuck to a stringent policy of sakoku, or "closed nation", limiting its interactions with the outside world primarily to Dutch and Chinese merchants. On the other hand, China was likewise keeping a regulated engagement with foreigners, particularly throughout the Qing Dynasty, operating out of designated treaty ports and under the constraints set by the Opium Wars and unequal treaties forced upon it by Western powers.

Harris's declaration underscores the strategic significance that these two countries held for the United States, both politically and financially. By noting that Japan and China were "without intercourse with other nations", Harris recommends that these nations were largely self-contained and had not yet been totally integrated into the quickly broadening global trade networks, which were being dominated by European and American interests. This seclusion presented both a challenge and a chance for the United States, as getting to these markets could substantially improve American trade and impact in East Asia.

The instruction from the President that Harris must "attend to or see the state of affairs in China likewise" highlights the keen interest the United States had in understanding and ultimately penetrating these mostly inaccessible markets. Harris's role as a diplomat was significant due to the fact that it involved not only working out trade agreements but also gathering intelligence on the internal affairs of these nations. By closely observing the political and economic environments in China, Harris could much better strategize how to open and secure more helpful positions for the United States, similar to his objective in Japan which ultimately led to the finalizing of the Harris Treaty in 1858, marking the end of Japan's isolationist policies.

Hence, Harris's remarks offer insight into the geopolitical dynamics of the age, illustrating the complexities Western powers dealt with in their efforts to broaden their impact in Asia and highlighting the fragile balance in between diplomacy and financial interests in diplomacy.