Ming-Qing China's Foreign Trade Policy In The Perspective Of Global Economy

The purpose of this paper is to research Ming and Qing dynasty's foreign trade policy from a global perspective. The paper will consider foreign trade policy under the background of international trade between China and West, compare China and West to explore the difference of Sino-Western trade policy, analyse how traditional China goverments adjust the policy to cope with western merchants, and show the relationship between international competition and the rise and fall of trade in Ming and Qing.Before the encounter of Sino-Western in marine trade, Ming Dynasty and Western Countries has formed different trade policy. Western Countries has established an international trade system which was maintained by violence and monopoly. Assisted by states, western merchants extent international market by military. On the contrary, Ming dynasty has built up an tribute-paying system sustained by the attraction of economic and cultrue. Tribute-paying system is operated by the control of governmental ability and pacific trade. The aim of tribute-paying system is to form the Chinese-Barbarian System.In later period of Ming and early period of Qing dynasty, the Sino-Western direct trade just starts and western merchants dose not get advantage in asian international trade. Although Western merchants have guns, they have to depend on chinese merchants to survive in asian. So the relation between chinese and western merchants is competition and co-exist. But Ming and Qing Dynasty do not provide security protection for chinese merchants and they have to solely cope with western armed trade without state's protection.After the emperor Kangxi openning coastal area, Sino-Western trade shows a new trend. Trade quantities and structure are changing. Drived by the demand of overseas markets, many chinese merchants trade in international market. As the international trade develops, some tributary states and other countries in south-eastern asia become colonies dominated by western countries. The tributary relationship are changed fundamentally. But Qing danasty dose not acknowlege trade relation between equal countries. The Qing danasty refuse trade relation, so she can not serve as managers in international trade. On that condition, if the international trade makes against law and order, Qing dynasty can only carry out restrictions on trade but not employ positive policy.The last chapter analyses policy from an different angle of view. The front chapters compare China and West and make the argument that states do not protect merchants is the failure of traditional chinese trade policy. This chapter analyses trade policy on the view of businese development. Although chinese trade quantities are increasing, the leading position of international trade in Asia sea area has been losed. Asia international markets are controlled by western merchants, and china's foreign market share is took away. Chinese merchants need gorverment's protection in international trade, but gorverment dose not fulfill the responsibilities, so chinese merchants can not flounce away the fate pushed, deprived and controlled.To sum up, the historical experience and lessons enlighten that simple opening up policy can not promote economic development. This paper makes the argument that simple opening up policy ignores the crucial point of the policy, which is government do not provide security protection for chinese merchants. Because chinese merchants have to solely cope with western armed trade without government's protection, China lost the development opportunity in international trade.