Treaty of Wangxia (Wàngxià Tiáoyuē 望厦条约)|Wàngxià Tiáoyuē 望厦条约 (Treaty of Wangxia)

Steven PHILLIPS

The 1844 Treaty of Wangxia set a pattern for Sino-American relations, as United States diplomats sought to build upon British imperialism and to stand apart from it, to establish principles, and to maximize profit. Chinese usually point to the 1844 treaty as proof that the United States had joined the ranks of the imperialists.

Before the 1840s, the Chinese, then led by the Manchu-dominated Qing dynasty (1644–1912), did not see the United