Countries Involved and Their Effects
Many countries took part in the imperialism of China during this time, however by far the most involved European countries was Britain. Britain traded with China often, giving the Chinese opium in exchange for their tea. This became a problem as the Chinese became addicted to the drug and ended up giving the British large sums of silver for it. This caused a decline in the Chinese economy. Soon, however, China realized that the drug was becoming a problem in their country. China outlawed opium and asked that the British cease trading of the drug. Unfortunately, the British refused triggering the First Opium War where they destroyed China due to the extreme difference in technology between the two countries. For more on this see the Opium War page.
Japan started to modernize post 1868. It was here that Japan greatly surpassed China technologically. Japan’s force on China in 1894 caused the Sino-Japanese War. It ended catastrophically for China as Japan gained the island of Taiwan as well some other territory in the north and around the coast of China near Taiwan. After the disastrous defeat of China in the Sino-Japanese War, many western countries began to see China’s weaknesses. These western powers then moved in to take spheres of influence along the Chinese coast. The British acquired the Yangzi River Valley. The French gained the area around the near the colony of Indochina. Germany and Russia took areas of northern China. China had been taken apart by the western countries.
Japan started to modernize post 1868. It was here that Japan greatly surpassed China technologically. Japan’s force on China in 1894 caused the Sino-Japanese War. It ended catastrophically for China as Japan gained the island of Taiwan as well some other territory in the north and around the coast of China near Taiwan. After the disastrous defeat of China in the Sino-Japanese War, many western countries began to see China’s weaknesses. These western powers then moved in to take spheres of influence along the Chinese coast. The British acquired the Yangzi River Valley. The French gained the area around the near the colony of Indochina. Germany and Russia took areas of northern China. China had been taken apart by the western countries.