Imperialism in China

In The Beginning… The British did not like their trade arrangements with China They had an unfavorable trade balance…they imported more than they exported. oThey were constantly importing tea, silk, and porcelain in exchange for Indian Cotton, but the cotton wasn’t enough and soon they were paying for imports with silver British traders were restricted to a small trading outlet in Canton…prevented widespread trading.

The Opium Predicament At first, the British tried to negotiate with the Chinese to improve the trade imbalance China refused to modify its arrangements So, Britain turned to importing illegal Opium Opium had been used as a medicine and Chinese government was aware of its dangerous qualities. It was illegal in the country Opium was grown in India under the control of the British East India Company and then shipped directly to Chinese markets, surpassing the government Demand for Opium grew…officials estimate that up to 15% of the population was addicted This led to the development of opium dens and traders who would take the drug directly to the known dens. Soon, silver was flowing out of China into the pockets of officials with the British E.I.C.

China’s Reaction… They appealed to the British government on moral grounds. A government official wrote to Queen Victoria: o“ Suppose there were people from another country who carried opium for sale to England and seduced your people into buying it; certainly your honorable ruler would deeply hate it and be bitterly aroused.” Britain’s response? Who Cares!!! We’re making money!!! As a result, the Chinese government blockaded the foreign area in Canton in order to force traders to surrender their chests of opium.

And, Britain’s Reaction… The British responded with force, starting the Opium War ( ) The Chinese were no match for the British. The British destroyed Chinese coastal/river forts, paralyzing their military and trade. The Treaty of Nanjing China agreed to open 5 ports to British goods, pay for the costs of war, and give Britain the island of Hong Kong Also, in the 5 ports, Europeans lived in their own sections and were not subject to Chinese laws…a practice known as extraterritoriality. Nothing was said in the treaty about the opium…

The Start of Imperialism… The agreements under the Treaty of Nanjing were the start of Imperialism in China. Soon, China offered the same concessions given to the British to other western nations, in hopes of lessening British power. This backfired and soon China was divided up into “Spheres of Influence” – areas where imperial powers had exclusive trading rights. Soon, warlords in specific areas began to negotiate directly with foreign nations. In return for money, the warlords granted the nations exclusive trading, rail-road building, or mining rights. This continued to impact China’s economy for a very long time.