804 Chapter 28
Why might you seek out or
resist foreign inf luence?
You are a local government official in 19th-century China. You are proud of
your country, which produces everything that its people need. Like other
Chinese officials, you discourage contact with foreigners. Nevertheless, people
from the West are eager to trade with China.
Most foreign products are inferior to Chinese goods. However, a few
foreign products are not available in China. You are curious about these items.
At the same time, you wonder why foreigners are so eager to trade with China
and what they hope to gain.▲Finely made lanterns were among the Chinese goods favored by Western merchants.EXAMININGtheISSUES
• How might foreign products affect the quality of life in
China both positively and negatively?
• What demands might foreigners make on countries they
trade with?
As a class, discuss these questions. Recall what happened in other
parts of the world when different cultures came into contact for the
first time. As you read this chapter, compare the decisions various
governments made about foreign trade and the reasons they made
those decisions.