How Did The Opium Wars Changed China's Relationship With The Western World

Ultimately, the Opium Wars changed China’s relationship with the Western world, resulting in a major shift in the economic and the diplomatic relationship between the Qing dynasty the western nations. The self-sufficient isolationist Chinese economy confronted a rapidly industrializing society that would refuse to submit. The failure of the Qing imperial court to properly secure their borders during the Opium Wars was a fatal oversight that would affect the foreign and domestic policies throughout the 19th and 20th centuries. The Unequal treaty created numerous ports in China, requiring the country to engage in foreign trade. The Qing dynasty no longer had authority over its ports resulting in a 60% decrease duties, effectively destroying many industries within China. 20 years after the Opium Wars, China faced intermittent periods of conflict against the Western powers. According to the Chinese, the first Opium
Indeed, Chinese scholars, most notably Feng Guifen, argued that Chinese culture should incorporate Western concepts into their national ideology to compete with the foreign powers. Specifically, Guifen believed that Chinese populace were inefficient in taking advantage of their resources, which was further exacerbated by the unnecessary bureaucratic system between rulers and the people. To rectify these issues, Guifen proposed numerous reforms to attain national strength and wellbeing through manufacturing, foreign affairs personnel, and renovating civil administration. Although most of these reforms proved to be unattainable, mainly due to the encroachment of foreign powers and political climate, Feng’s complex assessment of China addressed the fundamental issues afflicting China, and provided the foundation for the Self-Strengthening