Final answer:
European traders advanced over their Chinese counterparts by developing superior ship technology, seeking all-water routes to East Asia, navigational innovations, and establishing new trading networks that circumvented costly overland routes.
Step-by-step explanation:
The European traders advanced over the Chinese traders because Europeans continued to develop better ships and methods of navigation, sought new routes to Asia that avoided the heavily-taxed Silk Road, and pursued the direct oceanic trade routes. The Chinese position weakened due to their reliance on traditional trade practices and the eventual need to import silver, which Europeans could supply, securing more favorable trade positions. The European drive for trade expansion was preceded by explorers seeking to bypass middlemen to reduce costs and acquire items such as silk, spices, and porcelain directly.
European exploration was driven by three primary motivations: direct access to Eastern luxury goods, the spreading of Christianity, and finding new routes for economic gain. With technological advancements like the lateen sail and the magnetic compass, European powers such as Portugal and Spain developed competitive maritime routes that eventually led to their economic rise.
In the quest for Asian markets, Europeans encountered various challenges, including the monopolization of trade access by the Chinese authorities at Guangzhou (Canton). However, European nations persisted, which eventually resulted in conflicts like the Opium Wars, ultimately forcing China to open up more widely to foreign trade.