British Invasion To Zhoushan Before And After The Opium War(1838-1840)

Zhoushan is the largest archipelago in China,the center of China's coastline and an important military fortress.Because of its unique location advantages,Zhoushan has been coveted by Western colonists since the Ming and Qing Dynasties.Under this international background,British East India Company and British Government have sent their envoys to China many times to open up the Chinese market for British goods.Zhoushan can became of British imports and exports.However,the unreasonable demands of Britain have been severely rejected by the Qing Government.So Britain decided to open up the Chinese market by force.Taking the First Opium War as a node,this paper investigates the course of British coveting and occupying Zhoushan before and after the First Opium War,thus revealing the important position of Zhoushan in the First Opium War and highlighting the importance of Zhoushan coastal defence to China's national security.This paper mainly consists of the following four parts:The first part focuses on the history of the British east India company and the British government asking the Qing government to open ports for trade before the first opium war.Since the first British ship came to China in 1637,Britain decided to open up the Chinese market,and Zhoushan became the target of British occupation as the British navy learned about China's coastal conditions.The staff of the British east India company and the British government mission came to China successively to ask for opening the Chinese market and ceding Zhoushan as a trade transit station,but these unreasonable demands of the British government were rejected by the Qing government.After the British mission's three visits to China failed to open ports for trade,the UK decided to invade China by force.The second part focuses on the military occupation of Zhoushan by the British Army in the First Opium War.In June 1840,the first Opium War broke out in Guangzhou,but the British Navy did not stay here.After blockading the Pearl River Estuary directly,the British army went all the way north and occupied Zhoushan in July.However,due to the resolute resistance of the Chinese army and people,the British army had to retreat from Zhoushan.However,the British government was extremely dissatisfied with this,so in October 1841,the British troops again occupied Zhoushan,thus opening up the colonial rule of Zhoushan for five and a half years.The third part focuses on the British brief colonial rule in Zhoushan after the first opium war and the Sino-British negotiation/the qing government's recovery of Zhoushan and other issues.Again in October 1841,the British occupation of Zhoushan,the Zhoushan as Britain in China the first piece of sphere,colonial rule,announced the Zhoushan as a free port,both in English and after a lot of hard bargaining,finally in 1846 the Qing government to force the British returned Zhoushan treaty signed,British heart has unwilling,for delay in half a year after withdrawal from Zhoushan all,instead turning to Hong Kong.The fourth part analyzes the influence of the first Opium War on Zhoushan by comparing the central dynasty before and after the Opium War,especially the Qing Dynasty's understanding of Zhoushan.After the first Opium War,the Qing government recognized the importance of the geographical position of Zhoushan,and upgraded Haixian County to Dinghai Zhili Hall to strengthen the coastal defense construction of Zhoushan.The fifth part is the conclusion.By investigating the beginning and end of the British occupation of Zhoushan before and after the First Opium War,this paper clarifies the important position of Zhoushan in the First Opium War.It warns us that in today's construction of a powerful marine country,we must take history as a lesson and attach importance to the "trinity" of Zhoushan culture,economy and coastal defense so as to avoid the repetition of history.