Shackel
I've looked at a few maps and read some history, and I've noticed that, around 1898, not only was there a great fear that China would be cut up, but there were MASSIVE spheres of influence all across China.
Apparently only jealousy and the U.S's Open Door Policy stopped its annexation.
Was there a possibility, even a small one, of the Europeans deciding that it would be better to cut China up?
Definitely a possibility, but probably a fairly low one. The key factor was that Britain, because of it's dominant role in China and belief in free trade had a strong vested interest in maintaining a unified Chinese state. Coupled with concern about potential Russian gains in the north and the preference of the government for most of the century to minimise areas under direct British rule [and hence responsibilities and costs]. Hence any real partition of China would have required either British interests being overridden [which would be very difficult given it's naval dominance] or a drastic change in the British attitude.
This was strengened further later on when America started becoming a major economic player in the region, as it had no real territorial claims and hence would lose out economically if there was a partition.
Given some change in Britain's stance, or possibly a total collapse in order in China, with the loss of any even nominal government. In the latter case you might see the western powers combining to intervene to protect their citizens, economic interests etc. This could well result in a partition as each nation chooses to priority the areas it's main interests are in. However given the very strong racial/national identity in China I think things would have to be very bad and then there would probably be considerable resistance.
How would this affect WWI, and, more importantly, Germany? Germany had used the idea of liberation in Africa, would they use this in China to more avail?
Where and when are you referring to Germany using the idea of liberation in Africa? I know they didn't in the imperial period and they arguably have the worst record of all the European powers in Africa. Also while the Nazis might have made noises in that direction to gain influence I doubt that would be worth more than any other overtone they made to another people.
If China had been partitioned then the German share, as a latecomer and presuming no major butterflies, would have been pretty much the Shangtung peninsula region. As such fairly small and say if the empire was replaced by a more democratic and liberal state it might well have found the idea of calling for greater political liberizaton in China as attractive.
Steve