[IllogicalLogic]

So western power invading and enslaving China's major trading partners and drugging their population had 0 negative economic effect?

It seems the history books you have been exposed to detail a narrative that economic/trade flow history (narrative independent) does not recognize...

[seanmcdirmid]

No, it was symptomatic of a declining dynasty, it didn’t cause the decline in the first place. And even then, it wasn’t as comprehensive as you describe, the Japanese did way more damage to the Qing than the british did.

[IllogicalLogic]

Japan did alot of damage at the latter end of the Qing Dynasty too, yes (same time as peak opium epedemic/imports).

What followed a decade after was very telling though (I will skip the Boxer Rebellion but worth reading up on)....

Boxer Rebellion (somewhat Euro-centric perspective, but I will leave it to your objectivity, to see the otherside) - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFjHff-zaKY

In 1905, Roosevelt signed a secret treaty with the Japanese on his Imperial Cruise, allowing them to expand into Korea and the rest of Asia.

I don't blame you for not knowing this history, most US historians are/were unaware. Even congress was unaware of the treaty until the documents were released many many years later (post nobel peace prize being handed out).

It's a big part of why most Americans believed Pearl Harbor was potentially a precursor to a Japanese invasion attempt... When it was actually just a slap for breaking a 4 decade long secret treaty that greenlit Japanese expansion (USA renegged on this treaty during the 2nd Sino-Japanese war).

Imperial Cruise https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0AJ59vqzzg