How did the British opium trade impact China in the early 1800s? A) China's opium production began to fall behind that of rival opium producer, India. B) China lost its favorable balance of trade as silver began flowing out of the country China entered into a period of wealth as the British demand for opium steadily increased D China's government quickly halted the importation of opium to prevent harm to its citizens. The Opium Wars were a series of 19th Century conflicts fought MAINLY between