Fall of a Giant: The Unequal Treaties and China’s Downfall

Jason Lee
Korea International School

Abstract

This paper examines the 19th-century shifts in global power dynamics, focusing on China’s decline and Japan’s rise due to the imposition of unequal treaties by Western powers. It begins by exploring the Sinocentric order, where China, guided by Confucian principles and diplomatic dominance, was the center of Asia’s political and economic landscape. The paper then delves into Western expansion during the Industrial Revolution, culminating in the
Opium Wars, which led to China’s century of humiliation through treaties like the Treaty of Nanking. These treaties eroded China’s sovereignty and reshaped its foreign relations. In
contrast, Japan’s Meiji Restoration propelled its rapid modernization and emergence as a major industrial and military power, using unequal treaties to gain international recognition. The paper concludes by reflecting on how China’s initial humiliation evolved into strategic negotiation, influencing modern China’s diplomatic strategies and altering the geopolitical landscape of Asia.

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