Treaty ports and concessions in List of Chinese provinces and regions
When Europeans came to China by sea, from the late 1500s on, the Emperor strictly controlled their trade and movements. For several centuries, the only Western base was the Portuguese colony of Macau, trade was permitted only at Canton (Guangzhou) under a variety of restrictions.
After the Chinese defeat in the first Opium War, in 1842, much of that changed. Many of the restrictions were removed and five cities were opened to Western trade ? Guangzhou (then called Canton) in Guangdong, Xiamen (Amoy) and Fuzhou in Fujian, and Ningbo and Shanghai in Zhejiang. These were known as "treaty ports" because it was a treaty that opened them up. By the same treaty, Britain acquired a Far Eastern base of its own, Hong Kong.
After the Second Opium War, ending in 1860, other cities were opened to trade, including several inland cities such as Nanjing and Wuhan.
Various Western powers also took pieces of China, called concessions, and administered them. Some of the treaties specifically provided that Chinese law did not apply in these areas, or to foreigners in China. To Western powers, this was an obvious precaution against a barbaric system; to many Chinese, it was a deeply felt insult. Several nations had concessions in Shanghai; today the old French Concession is one of the more elegant tourist attractions. Other areas such as Hankou (part of Wuhan), Gulangyu in Xiamen, Shamian Dao in Guangzhou and parts of Tianjin also had concessions for several nations. These historic areas have been or are being remodeled and have become very popular tourist attractions for both Chinese and foreigners.
In some areas, only one nation had a concession. These included:
Germans in Qingdao, which now makes it's famous beer
French in Zhanjiang, near their IndoChinese colonies
Russians with a large naval base in Dalian, then called Port Arthur, and Harbin which was a base for their railroad construction.
A British naval base in Weihai, just across the bay from Dalian.
This is not a complete list.
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The Most Frequently Asked Travel Questions about List of Chinese provinces and regions
