Imperialism in China

Silver Serves Chinese Ascendancy China rejects goods from others and expects payment in silver Originally most silver entering China came from Japan Mines in the Americas, in particular Potosi, allowed the Spanish to acquire Chinese goods by way of Manila

Self Sufficiency?? Strong agricultural economy –Quick growing rice from Southeast Asia Maize, sweet potatoes, and peanuts from the Americas Extensive mining and manufacturing industries –Provides jobs Silk, high quality cotton, porcelain

Why China? Large population –Market for manufactured goods –Cheap labor for foreign enterprises Mineral resources Tea and silk Manchu [Qing] government weak and lacked military resources

Guanzhou Only port foreigners could trade in

British Trade with China Qing emperor rejects British attempt to trade China doesn’t want European goods What about OPIUM? –Used medicinally for centuries –By 1835, 12 million Chinese are addicted

Opium was shipped from Bombay and Calcutta to Guangzhou

Chinese Official Requires End to Opium Trade Commissioner Lin’s letter to Queen of England— “…by means of introducing opium by stealth, have seduced our Chinese people, and caused every province of the land to overflow with that poison.” While the letter was in transit Commissioner Lin ordered several thousand boxes of opium destroyed. –What did the British do?

Destruction of Opium on right by burning it, sometimes it was sunk into the sea or mixed with lime.

The Opium War

Chinese confiscate and burn opium in Canton harbor— destroyed the stockpile—Britain declares war

Fought over.... China - STOP OPIUM TRADE! Treaty of Nanking -considered to be an unequal treaty — WHY? –“…subjects who shall enjoy full security and protection for their persons and property…” extraterritoriality rights –“…shall be allowed to reside, for the purpose of carrying on their pursuits…” Open ports

–“… necessary and desirable, that British Subjects should have some Port whereat they may careen and refit their ships, when required, …China cedes to … Great Britain…” Hong Kong –“… China agrees to pay … as the value of Opium which was delivered up at Canton…” Indemnity [money]

Qing Dynasty 1850 Corrupt Government almost bankrupt Increased population Decreased food supply –Hunger widespread –Opium addiction increases –Yellow River floods

Regions in which the economic interests of a foreign nation came before those of China

Taiping Rebellion

Provincial revolt to overthrow Qing government...

Hong Xiuquan –Heavenly Kingdom of Great Peace –1 million followers Put down by Chinese Imperial Army with British and French help –10 year war- 20 million lives –Need for modernization met with resistance –China continued to weaken

Britain demands another “unequal treaty” because they aided in ending the rebellion –Gained embassy in Peking Russia gained territory including part of Turkistan and Port Arthur France gained Indochina

Sino-Japanese War –Japan gained Taiwan Treaty ports Indemnity Korea Russia needs to keep Japan out of Manchuria because a Manchurian Railroad shortens the distance to Port Arthur by 350 miles

Foreign countries gain more rights Spheres of Influence 1860’s

Which countries? Japan –Korea, Taiwan, southern Manchuria France –Vietnam, railroad to Indochina Germany –Mining rights, railroad Britain –Trade routes in Yangtze valley, naval base Russia –Indemnity, tax free route for railroad

Spheres of Influence

1899 Open Door Policy China

U. S. feared.. American trade...shut out of China Proposed an “open door” for merchants of all nations Protected American trade rights in China China protected from colonization

Modernization measures meet resistance Empress Dowager [aunt of reigning emperor] returns

Late 1800’s ’s Chinese Nationalist Societies

Secret Societies pledge to get rid of the “foreign devils” Imperialism

1900 The Boxer Rebellion

Society of Righteous & Harmonious Fists a.k.a. “Boxers” Encouraged by government officials to drive out ALL foreigners

Besiege European compound in Peking Rescued by an 8-nation army –British, French, Germany, Austria, Italy, Russia, Japan, United States

What caused the Boxer Rebellion and to what extent was it an International war? What result did this have on China? Empress Tz’hsi (Su-Shi)

Results... new nationalist movement with goals of: Nationalism Republicanism— constitutional government promised by 1917 Land reform

The decline of the Qing dynasty

Russo-Japanese War 1904 Japanese advantages –Industrialized –British neutrality –Closer to fighting and re-supply lines –Mismanagement of Czar Treaty of Portsmouth –Teddy Roosevelt wins Nobel Peace Prize –Japan gained Port Arthur, part of Sakhalin Island, and Russian troops out of Manchuria Secret Agreement later gave Russia northern half of Manchuria and Japan the Southern half