The Westernization Movement was a major reform carried out by the Qing Dynasty to save its own ruling crisis and national crisis. To a certain extent, it reversed the backward situation of China's industry, national defense and military affairs, greatly promoted China's modernization process, helped China to see the world clearly and learn advanced western technology, was the first major attempt of China to open its doors and integrate into the world in modern times, and had a far-reaching positive impact on China's modern history.

However, because it failed to touch the backward natural economic foundation and institutional roots, it could only be a formal transformation, which failed to make China truly move towards western civilization and fundamentally changed the backward fate of China.