Topic 16 Discussion 83 Imperialism in Asia: China and the West

1. China before Western Penetration

a. China was a point of conflict between western, imperial nations

b. Qing dynasty loosely ruled over all that was Chinese

c. China considered the west to be barbaric and remained isolationistic

d. Qing dynasty was failing and unable to preserve order

i. Taiping Rebellion of 1850

1. 20 million perished

2. Due to Chinese causes

3. Rebels attacked the Manchus as corrupt foreigners

a. Poverty, extortion, rack-renting, and absentee landlords

4. Taiping and Manchu leadership broke down

a. Chaos and banditry erupted

b. Warlords appeared

5. Manchu put down the Taiping rebels with European help

a. Europeans began to extort concessions from the Manchu and maintain the Qing dynasty at the same time

b. Effect was to sustain instability within China and increase European access

2. The Opening of China to the West

a. Opium Wars 1839 – 1857

i. Trade with China was difficult

1. China desired few European goods

ii. Mainstay of trade was opium for tea

iii. China resisted and in 1857 France and Britain burned the Emperor’s summer palace

1. Extensive looting

b. Treaties of Nanking and Tientsim

i. Treaty system led to

1. Hong Kong ceded to Britain

2. Opened cities to Europeans as ports of entry

a. Europeans were immune to Chinese law

b. Settlements were established

c. War indemnities were charged to the Chinese

d. No import duty over 5 percent (nearly free trade)

i. Money from duties went to Europeans to pay the indemnities

ii. Some money went to the Qing government

3. Annexations and Concessions

a. Russians moved down the Amur River (Vladivostok)

b. Japanese recognized the independence of Korea

c. British annexed Burma

d. French annexed the Indo-Chinese peninsula

e. Japan shows imperialistic tendencies

i. Annexes Formosa and Liaotung peninsula

ii. Recognizes Korea’s independence

iii. Designs on Manchuria

f. China borrowed heavily to westernize

i. Loans open China further to western influence

ii. Partition of China seemed inevitable

1. More territories are ceded

a. Russians obtained Port Arthur and the right to build railroads in Manchuria

iii. Open Door

1. U.S. demands all nations have open trade rights with China

g. The condition of China is humiliating to Chinese

i. Imperialism is leading to agitation

ii. Boxers 1899

iii. Revolutionary movement in China aimed at expulsion of Manchus and foreigners grew under Sun Yat-sen