「廣田三原則」係1935年10月由日本外相廣田弘毅提出，目的是針對中國，重啟對話的一次攻勢。從「九一八」至「七七」（1931~ 1937）間雙方關係的波折來看，這次談判既是希望將所有「懸案」作整體性解決的最深刻的一次嘗試，也是彼此互動走入盡頭的險峻下坡。 本文針對此一談判的背景、緣起與議題作一剖析。強調：第一，三原則本是南京主動，目的在促成兩國中央的「直接交涉」、「一元外交」，以期使極度惡化的雙方關係能夠一舉正常化。第二，談判過程中，中、日兩方都顯現出所謂「二元政策」，也就是軟硬兩手、黑臉白臉的交替運用；反映的正是雙邊關係的圖窮匕現。第三，在最後階段，南京內部「和平派」地位已不再穩固；「一元外交」的推動始終夾雜著「促蔣出面」的呼聲，實際成為和、戰兩派的角力所在。這也構成此時南京政局的微妙內幕。 「廣田三原則」的提出與談判，乃是抗戰前的中日危機中，具有相當意義的一段過程。雙方都拿下「親善」假面，攤出各自底牌；針鋒相對程度迥非此前歷次談判所可比擬。正因如此，談判的破局，同步象徵著彼此互動已走到盡頭。於是，在日使離京後不過半年，盧溝橋事變發生，日軍「膺懲暴支」之聲就響徹雲霄了。

The “Three Principles of Hirota” were advanced by the Japan foreign minister Hirota Koki (廣田弘毅) in October, 1935. In negotiations with China, Japan planned to solve of Tokyo’s so-called “unsettled issues” between the two countries. Therefore, both sides had a showdown during the process of negotiation and were highly agitated to the last negotiation. This article analyzes this negotiations of in 1935~1936, starting with its background. The Nanjing government took the first action, and both sides were using a “two hand” policy under the negotiations. In addition, the factions who supported war and those against it fiercely argued inside Nanjing in unbelievable circumstances. To an extent, the breakdown of this negotiation symbolizes that China and Japan had no way to solve their conflict but war. As a result, only half a year after the Japanese ambassador left Nanjing, the Marco Polo Bridge incident took place. Therefore, negotiations over the three principles of Hirota became a symbol showing that the Sino-Japanese relations were breaking down before the war.