By a remarkable coincidence, controversial international trade agreements that are opening up China to America and the European Union come exactly 100 years after a previous disastrous opening.
by Melvin Rhodes and Darris McNeely
One hundred years ago, as now, there
was talk of China opening up. Then, as now, China had been going through
a period of rapid and significant change. Then, as now, her relations
with the rest of the world were often traumatic.
Then, as now, there was much resistance
to foreign influence while other forces strove to modernize the country.
Then, as now, foreign ideas were not welcome. Then, as now, Western
business interests saw China, with one fifth of the world's population,
as a potentially profitable market providing them with endless opportunities
to make money. Then, as now, Western liberal reformers hoped for democracy
in China, while missionaries hoped the country would more readily embrace
their beliefs.
Perhaps this time it will be different.
Perhaps. Perhaps not.
For thousands of years, the Chinese
had always been a self-sufficient nation with a highly developed culture.
When Europeans first arrived in the 16th century wanting to trade,
the Chinese felt no great need to do business with them. Nor did they
think the foreigners had anything to offer them.
The Europeans continued to push,
seeing this potentially lucrative market just waiting to open up. A
series of conflicts in the 19th century led to the Chinese being forced
into signing trading pacts, granting the Europeans trading posts along
the coast and special trading rights. These treaties humiliated the
ruling Manchu dynasty that had been in power since 1644. Europeans
demanded and received the right of settlement in designated areas reserved
for them and were not subject to Chinese law.
A great source of grievance was
the foreign missionaries to whom the treaties gave the right to reside
and preach inland. These missionaries were perceived to be destroying
the national way of life-the nation's social cohesion that went back
thousands of years. Chinese converts stopped participating in community
life and withdrew their financial support, which meant that others
had to make up the difference.
