Forced Trade in East Asia

This article is currently under research and development.

The conflicts between Great Britain and the Qing Dynasty in the mid-nineteenth century represent a critical moment in East Asian history, demonstrating the lengths to which European powers would go to secure trading access.

Key topics under development:

• The Trade Deficit: How tea imports drove the British search for a tradeable commodity (opium).
• The First Opium War (1839–1842): The Treaty of Nanking and the ceding of Hong Kong.
• The Second Opium War (1856–1860): The legalization of the opium trade and open access to Chinese ports.