The 19th century was a period of turbulence for Western imperialism and a major power shift in Asia. European powers and the United States have had a destabilizing effect on the region, and the choices made by Japan and China in response to their massive expansion have largely contributed to the trajectory of their respective futures. Social factors, such as differences in national and religious unity, also played a role in how both nations emerged from the era of imperialism. European trade with China has historically been limited. In 1793, the Qianlong Emperor rejected King George III's request to reduce trade restrictions, stating: "Our Celestial Empire possesses all things in prolific abundance...There was therefore no need to import the products made by external barbarians” (Qianlong cited in Strayer 882). . This restrictive trade policy remained in force until the Treaty of Nanking was reluctantly signed in 1842. In the 1830s, illegal British imports of opium into China increased from 1,000 chests to more than 23,000 in price of millions of Chinese citizens addicted to this substance. (Strayer, 885). In response to the growing problem of addiction, the ban on the importation of opium was deemed inadequate to protect Chinese interests, resulting in the government banning opium altogether in 1836. Unswayed by the new law, British merchants and Chinese opium addicts continued to do business. as usual because the corrupt Chinese officials were happy as long as they got their share of the money. The opium trade led to three distinct problems in China. First, the large number of dependent citizens was detrimental to the country. Then China was losing the silver stocks it had accumulated over the last century...... middle of paper...... it did not pursue a program to protect itself against European interests. Japan, for its part, chose to bide its time, learn from its oppressors, and use that knowledge to free itself from its chains. Additionally, Japan successfully launched an industrial revolution that gave it a high degree of economic freedom, while China experienced economic collapse with no way to boost production. China only realized the need to adapt to a changing world when it was too late and it suffered the consequences of its arrogance. Japan chose to adopt the ideals that led to Western success and reaped the rewards of that decision. Works Cited Strayer, Douglas. Ways of the World: A Brief World History with Sources. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin, 2011. 877-903. Print.Ch'ing China: The Opium Wars. Richard Hooker, 1999. The web. July 2. 2011.