Treaty of Nanking Ends First Opium War
The First Opium War arose from British efforts to reverse trade imbalances with Qing China by importing opium, leading to conflict after Chinese authorities seized and destroyed British opium stocks in 1839. British naval superiority forced negotiations. On August 29, 1842, representatives signed the Treaty of Nanking aboard HMS Cornwallis in Nanjing, with Britain represented by Sir Henry Pottinger and Qing officials including Keying. The treaty ceded Hong Kong to Britain, opened five treaty ports to foreign trade, and imposed indemnities and tariff regulations on China.
Why it matters: As the first of the 'unequal treaties,' it marked the beginning of China's 'Century of Humiliation,' eroding Qing sovereignty and opening the door to further foreign encroachments. It established a template for Western imperial relations with East Asia that influenced global trade and diplomacy for decades.