潮汕鐵路是日本的鐵路技術入侵清國鐵路之嚆矢，也是日本的技術人員以本國產品進行建設的第一條外國鐵路，更是台灣總督兒玉源太郎和民政長官後藤新平等入侵華南的踏腳石之一。潮汕鐵路案不僅是清日外交史上的一個重要案例，在日本帝國「南進的系譜」上、台灣鐵路發展史上皆有其特殊意義。日方在民間企業、台灣總督府、外務省三個層次的通力合作下，透過抬面下的交涉，獲得清國商務部大臣載振的協助，取得聘用技師、提供材料的獨占權，開啟台灣總督府鐵道部及御用會社的入侵之道。除了彰顯清國在外交上之破綻外，亦呈現長谷川謹介所領導的鐵道部及諸御用會社在配合日本帝國「南進」上的重要角色，以及殖民地鐵路當局倚靠「技術」再進行對外擴張的實例。

Teochew-Swatow Railway was the first example which Japan invaded Qing Dynasty by railway technology. It was also the first railway that Japan built overseas by her native products. Furthermore, it was the steppingstone that the General Governor of Taiwan Kodama Gentaro and Civil Administrator Goto Simpei invaded the South China. The example of Teochew-Swatow Railway is not only an important example in the Qing-Japan diplomatic history, it also had special significance in the Japan Empire's genealogy of the South-Advance Policy and the railway history of Taiwan. By the secret negotiation worked by private enterprise, Taiwan governor's office and the Ministry of Foreign, Japan got the cooperation from Qing Dynasty's Commercial Administrator Zai Jhen and got the monopoly on employment of engineers and the supply of materials. Therefore, it opened an aggressive route for the Railway Bureau of Taiwan governor's office and companies which have deep relationship with Japanese government. This example has demonstrated the diplomatic failure of Qing Dynasty, the Railway Bureau and some special companies' importance in the South-Advanced Policy, and Taiwan governor's office's overseas invasion by ”technology”.