The Treaty of Nanking

The Treaty of Nanking, signed in 1842, was a peace agreement that ended the First Opium War between Britain and China. It forced China to open several ports to British trade, ceded Hong Kong to Britain, and granted Britain special trading rights and influence. The treaty marked the start of what is known as the "Century of Humiliation," significantly weakening China's sovereignty and exposing its economic and political vulnerability to Western powers. It was one of the first unequal treaties, favoring Britain at China's expense, and set a precedent for subsequent foreign interference in China.