Historical Changes in Shanghai

During the Qing Dynasty, Shanghai was not only an economic center along the southeast coast, but also a trade center. Shanghai's superior geographical location along the coast has long attracted the attention of British businessmen. In the 17th year of the Qianlong reign (1752 AD), the East India Company proposed to the British government to use Shanghai as the northern trading hub. Afterwards, several people were sent to spy on Shanghai and demand trade, but they were all rejected. In 1842, Britain attacked Wusongkou with gunboats, forcing the Qing government to sign the Treaty of Nanjing. From then on, Shanghai was forced to open up as a commercial port, and countries such as France, the United States, and Japan followed suit. They established a concession in Shanghai, with an area of 46 square kilometers, making it the largest city in the country with a concession area. At the same time as delimiting concessions, imperialism seized various powers such as building roads, stationed troops, and consular judges. They also opened banks, dumped goods, and opened factories to extract a large amount of high profits, turning Shanghai into a base for imperialist aggression against China. From then on, Shanghai became known worldwide as a "paradise for adventurers".