Enterprising imperial nations had been plundering China as early as the 16th century, desiring the silk, tea, and porcelain that China possessed. By the Age of Imperialism, China was too weak to repel the onslaught of European powers competing for her resources. Britain, France, Russia, and later Japan and other nations, vied with each other for control of China’s wealth. China had been so weakened by centuries of exploitation that European interlopers wrote their own rules and forced the Chinese to capitulate to their imperial demands.
Each European power in China controlled one or more of its ports, which they used to ship to Europe the resources they had plundered inland. At first, China refused to import any goods from European powers,
Each European power in China controlled one or more of its ports, which they used to ship to Europe the resources they had plundered inland. At first, China refused to import any goods from European powers,