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Hello, today we're discussing the opium wars between Britain and China in the 19th century a conflict at forced China to open its doors to trade with the Western world

Thomas de Quincey describes the pleasures of opium like this

There has the keys of paradise. Oh just subtle and mighty opium

The Chinese had banned opium in its various forms several times citing concern for public morals

But the prohibition was ignored the East India company held a monopoly of the production of opium in British India

Private British traders continued to smuggle large quantities of opium into China in this way

The opium trade became a way of balancing a trade deficit brought about by Britain's own addiction to tea

The Chinese protested against the flouting of the ban even writing to Queen Victoria

But the British continued to trade leading a crackdown by Lin Zishue a man appointed to be China's opium drug

Tsar he confiscated opium from the British traders and destroyed it the British military

Sponsors severe leading to the Nanking Treaty which opened up several of China's ports to foreign trade and gave Britain

Hong Kong the peace didn't last long and the second opium war followed the Chinese that a little better in this conflict

Which ended with another humiliating treaty. So what were the main causes of the opium wars?

What were the consequences for the Qing dynasty and how did the punitive treaties affect future relations with Britain and

Was the outcome even positive for China?

Joining me to discuss this a young win-jong lecture in modern Chinese history at Manchester University

Lars Lamon research fellow in Chinese history at the School of Oriental and African Studies or Seras at the University of London and

Sean Joe also a research fellow in history at Seras

Young win-jong Britain was keen to trade with China

Can you give us some idea of how important China was in the say late 18th century in terms of wealth and influence?

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