The Convention of Peking 1860

By Gary Cox

The Convention of Peking, also known as the Treaty of Peking or the Treaty of Tientsin, was an agreement signed between the Qing Dynasty of China and the Western powers of Great Britain and France on October 24, 1860. It ended the Second Opium War and marked a significant turning point in China's relations with the West.

Background

The Second Opium War (1856-1860) was a continuation of the First Opium War (1839-1842),which had been fought over the British Empire's desire to sell opium in China. The Qing Dynasty had been defeated in the First Opium War and had been forced to sign the Treaty of Nanking in 1842, which opened five Chinese ports to foreign trade and granted extraterritorial rights to British subjects in China.

The Convention of Peking (1860)

by Gary W. Cox

4.5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	590 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Print length	:	7 pages
Hardcover	:	116 pages
Item Weight	:	8.2 ounces
Dimensions	:	6 x 0.48 x 9 inches

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However, the British were not satisfied with the terms of the Treaty of Nanking, and they continued to pressure the Qing Dynasty to open more ports to foreign trade and to grant more concessions to British merchants. In 1856, a British ship was attacked by Chinese pirates, and the British used this as a pretext to launch the Second Opium War.

The British were joined by the French in the Second Opium War, and together they defeated the Qing Dynasty and captured the city of Peking (Beijing) in 1860.

Terms of the Convention of Peking

The Convention of Peking consisted of 10 articles, which included the following terms:

• China agreed to open 11 new ports to foreign trade, including Tientsin, Hankow, and Niuchwang.
• China agreed to legalize the opium trade.
• China agreed to pay an indemnity of 8 million taels of silver to the British and French.
• China agreed to allow foreign missionaries to travel and preach throughout the country.
• China agreed to cede the Kowloon Peninsula to the British.

The Convention of Peking was a humiliating defeat for the Qing Dynasty, and it marked the beginning of a period of foreign domination in China. The Western powers used the treaty to secure their economic and political interests in China, and they established a system of unequal treaties that gave them special privileges in China.

Significance of the Convention of Peking

The Convention of Peking was a significant turning point in China's relations with the West. It marked the beginning of a period of foreign domination in China, and it led to a number of long-term consequences for China, including:

• The loss of Chinese sovereignty and the establishment of foreign spheres of influence in China.
• The rise of foreign imperialism in China, which led to the Boxer Rebellion (1899-1901) and the eventual collapse of the Qing Dynasty in 1912.
• The spread of Western ideas and culture in China, which led to the development of a new Chinese nationalism and the eventual rise of the Communist Party of China in 1949.

The Convention of Peking was a major event in Chinese history, and its effects are still felt today.

The Convention of Peking was a humiliating defeat for the Qing Dynasty, but it also marked a new beginning for China. The treaty opened China to the West, and it led to a number of long-term consequences for China, both positive and negative.

The Convention of Peking is a reminder of the complex and often difficult relationship between China and the West. It is a story of imperialism, domination, and resistance, but it is also a story of cultural exchange and modernization.

The Convention of Peking (1860)

by Gary W. Cox

4.5 out of 5

Language	:	English
File size	:	590 KB
Text-to-Speech	:	Enabled
Screen Reader	:	Supported
Enhanced typesetting	:	Enabled
Print length	:	7 pages
Hardcover	:	116 pages
Item Weight	:	8.2 ounces
Dimensions	:	6 x 0.48 x 9 inches

FREE