Imperialism Hong Kong

The Treat of Nanking was established in 1842 to end the first Opium War between Britain and China. This affected the Chinese by forcing them to open up more trade to other countries and lowered tariffs. This was considered the “unequal treaty” by the Chinese as they lost the war.

Spheres of Influence in China began with the signing of the Treaty of Nanjing. This treaty gave Britain 5 major coastal ports in China. Spheres of

China viewed itself as an autarkic agricultural economic system and whilst Britain purchased large amounts of Chinese tea, silk and porcelain the Chinese held the European manufactured products at very little value. This monopolistic system of

Britain's entire purpose for their acquisition of Hong Kong was trade (Chiu 25). While China had many important ports as a part of their country, few would ever reach the heights that Hong Kong did under the British. In the mid-1840’s, a few short years after Hong Kong was first ceded to the British, it was already responsible for handling 21% of all of China’s exports, and then in the next 30 years, that number would rise to 37% (Chiu 24). The British created docks across the island, allowing companies from all over the world, and especially neighboring countries, to trade there, and by having free trade and little taxes, allowed for large amounts of trading to occur. While the Chinese were resentful for having given up Hong Kong, they had never truly given it the ability to rise to its true potential as the British did.

In 1793, George III of Britain sent a letter to China to verbalize with the Qianlong Emperor. His motivation was to talk about the condition of exchange in the middle of China and England, who at the time had enormously thorough

While under the rule of the Emperor Qianlong, China’s foreign policy and trade was beginning to unfold and open up to Europe. Qianlong, however, still maintained a strict and regulated administration of all foreign trade and foreign ability to exist within China. “ It is true that Europeans, in the service of the dynasty, have been permitted to live at Peking, but they are compelled to adopt Chinese dress, they are strictly confined to their own precincts and are never permitted to return home.” All outside interactions with China could only be permitted if ‘in the

In this letter Long is attempting to politely and respectfully convey why King George’s request for trade privileges cannot be done. That, due to China’s culture and government, Long cannot allow Europeans to retain their own culture if they are to live in China, nor could they ever leave. Long indicates that it is believed that allowing Europeans to not assimilate into Chinese culture could pollute the minds of Chinese citizens. The information Qian Long provides in this source are his and the rest of the Chinese government’s response to King George’s request and why it is not possible to oblige it. Long cites a few of China’s and Europe’s cultural and political differences that make the request impossible. Long also makes a number of assumptions

During the last two decades of the nineteenth century, the political and military European power began to completely take over China. There was an Open Door Notes agreement issued in

The Chinese were no match for the British and their advanced warfare. In 1842 the Chinese sign the treaty and ended the conflict. Part of the settlement China had to pay back the cost of the opium that was dumped in the bay and relinquish the island of Hong Kong. The island of Hong Kong became a British territory and they also had to open additional ports for trade. Fourteen years later the second war broke out (1856-1858) once again the British defeated the inferior Chinese army in the opium trade became legal again.

It lasted from 1839 -1842 and ended with the Treaty of Nanking. The treaty would establish a 5% tariff on goods and favor trade with Great

In the Open Door Policy John Hay gave three principles to Great Britain, Germany, Russia, France, Italy, and Japan who are known as “Spheres of Influence”. The three principles were: “that each nation which had a sphere of influence would respect all rights and privileges of other countries within its sphere; that Chinese officials would continue to collect tariff duties in all of the spheres of influence; and that within each nation’s sphere, no discrimination would occur against other nations concerning the charging of harbor taxes and railroad rates” (Hay Sends His Open Door Notes, September 6, 1899, 2014). John Hay wanted each country to respect the land of China and where other countries were occupied in China. Also, he wanted China to continue to collect tariffs from all the countries so there would be equal trade, and wanted all the “Spheres of Influence” to be charged and treated the same.

So he decided to make a head tax to get into Canada. This head tax was originally $50 then $100 then a massive $500! Established on July 1, 1923 this act ended 1947 making it last for 24 years! The chinese were discriminated and forced to make smaller towns called “chinatowns” this is where some of the chinese people would be before they were accepted into the canadian society. China towns were a very smart invention, the chinese were finally accepted somewhere in canada.

British attempts for renewed trade conditions were not met favourably by the Emperor. Firstly, due to China’s self-superiority it was assumed the visiting diplomats were paying tribute. Further complications arose with British refusal to comply with Chinese customs e.g. performing the kowtow before the Emperor. These actions caused misunderstandings and misinterpretations, which set the basis of British-Chinese relations and attitudes.

unlike in 1997, the whole of Hong Kong need not be handed back as it

With martial and precision music played, the sovereignty of Hong Kong was returned from Britain to China officially in a ceremony held on July 1st, 1997. The ceremony symbolized that Hong Kong moved into a new era that is a dramatic change from capitalist territory to Communist control and in the meanwhile, the colonial power of Britain in Hong Kong was eventually declared the end. The purpose of this research paper is to analyze the reasons for the relinquishment of Hong Kong from three aspects that is historical background, the negotiation between British and Chinese governments and the results.