Chinese Imperialism
The year is 1839; China has thrived for about a century under the Manchu and Qing (Ch’ing) dynasties. The Asian powerhouse has become a big part of the world market, and its exports of silver, tea, and silk are highly demanded in the West and Europe. However, the reigning power of Britain recognizes the danger of China. Due to China’s rise in power through trade, the new world market is now split between the East, led by China, and the West, led by Britain. The market favors China as it was exporting and making more money than it was importing and spending. This trade deficit meant that China, through control of funds and resources, could become completely independent and eventually overtake Britain as the power of the world. In order to prevent this from happening, Britain uses drugs to put them economically back on top. However, the Chinese government bans this and refuses trade with Britain and the West. After Britain's drugs are dumped in a Chinese port and British sailors who were transporting the drugs illegally to China are captured, the Opium war between the East and the West begins and lasts for 3 years. The Opium wars conclude with the Treaty of Nanjing, which establishes British laws and allows Britain free trade throughout China, as well as an 18 million dollar debt to Britain from China. With China now relying upon British rule and British traders with British rules being enforced in China, the imperialization of China had begun. The imperialization of China added Western culture to its Eastern heritage; the West added its culture and laws and technology as well as industrialization. However, the negatives of the loss of Eastern culture include the Taiping Rebellion in which natives rebelled against the foreign, western influences present within China. This new mentality made a new China that still booms to this day.
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