The Economic Interaction Between Northern Treaty Ports In The Late Qing Dynasty

After the opening of treaty ports in modern times,the northern ports of China developed from the three northern treaty ports to the economic circle around the Yellow and Bohai Seas,with Tianjin,Qingdao and Dalian being the core of this economic circle,which hold an important status in the trade of the northern ports.The functions of the treaty ports have evolved after the opening of coastal cities in Northern China,with the continuous advancement of economic modernization,the continuous expansion of domestic and foreign trade,the gradual improvement of transportation systems,and the continuous development of the commercial economy.A rising trend is shown in the trade between the 1860 s and the end of the 19 th century,with Tianjin being the center of trade in northern China,Yingkou and Yantai being the only treaty ports in northeast China and Shandong respectively.In the late19 th and early 20 th centuries,with the opening of ports in Qingdao and Dalian,a coastal economic circle around the Yellow and Bohai Seas,led by Tianjin,Qingdao and Dalian,was formed,and the trade between the ports developed further.The foreign trade structure of the northern ports had long been uncoordinated,as reflected in the structural ratio of imports and exports,the structure of imported and exported goods and other aspects,but with the development of trade,the foreign trade structure was gradually harmonized.Interaction of goods and finance was driven by the dealings of merchants between the northern ports.Further development of transportation provided good conditions for trade transport,and the development of post and telegraph greatly facilitated the exchange of information among merchants.Although the economic interaction was often affected by the war,it was still a great improvement compared to the period before the opening of the treaty ports.Restricted by the transportation system,the frequency of trade between these ports is not sufficient to form a complete economic region,but still drives the economic exchanges between ports.The economic interaction between the ports reflects not only the trade exchanges but also the economic ties in various aspects such as shipping,post,telegraph,finance and population.After a long period of development,the ports have formed a trade system with clear functions and distinct levels,which has profoundly influenced the trade pattern of the northern region.