Question

China and Great Britain were pursuing competing interests in the 19th century. The British wanted to create a positive trade balance with China by importing opium into that country. China wanted to maintain control over its population and trade by restricting foreign influence and goods. What motivations did each side have in pursuing its respective policies? Think about how different people on each side may have understood and justified their actions.

Answer 1

There was a high demand for Chinese tea, silk and porcelain in the British market and thus British started selling opium to China so that they could establish trade with China. They were highly addictive drugs and thus it led to Opium war when Chinese government tried to stop this.

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