At this critical juncture in world history, let me remind readers of some history with the help of AI tool Perplexity. The following prose (non-italicised) is entirely credited to Perplexity:
Western powers committed several major historical injustices against China during the “Century of Humiliation” (1839–1949). Key events include:
• Opium Wars (1839–1842, 1856–1860): Britain forced China to import opium, leading to widespread addiction and societal harm. After military defeats, China ceded Hong Kong and signed unequal treaties granting foreign powers extraterritorial privileges.
• Unequal Treaties: These treaties opened Chinese ports to foreign trade, ceded territories (e.g., Hong Kong, Taiwan), and imposed heavy indemnities. They undermined China’s sovereignty.
• Sacking of the Old Summer Palace (1860): Anglo-French forces looted and burned this cultural treasure during the Second Opium War.
• Eight-Nation Alliance (1900): Western powers suppressed the Boxer Rebellion, imposing massive reparations through the Boxer Protocol. [Author’s note: The United States of America was one of the eight nations in the Alliance.]
• Colonial Exploitation: Territories like Macau, Hong Kong, and treaty ports were controlled by foreign powers, further fragmenting China’s sovereignty.
These actions deeply affected China’s political stability, economy, and cultural heritage.
Opium Wars
The Opium Wars had profound long-term effects on Chinese society, including:
Social Consequences
• Widespread Addiction: Opium addiction affected millions, weakening the population and creating significant public health challenges.
• Cultural Disruption: The wars exposed China to foreign influence, undermining traditional values and societal norms.
Political Consequences
• Loss of Sovereignty: The unequal treaties forced China to cede territories (e.g., Hong Kong) and grant extraterritorial privileges to foreign nations, eroding its autonomy.
• Weakened Qing Dynasty: The wars contributed to the decline of the Qing dynasty, culminating in its eventual collapse and the establishment of a republican government in 1912.
Economic Consequences
• Drain on Resources: Massive silver outflows to pay for opium destabilized China’s economy.
• Shift in Trade Policy: The treaty port system reoriented China’s economy toward coastal trade dominated by Western interests, limiting its ability to control domestic markets.
These effects collectively marked the start of China’s “Century of Humiliation,” shaping its modern history and national identity.
Unequal Treatises
The unequal treaties significantly impacted China’s sovereignty and economy:
Impact on Sovereignty
• Loss of Territorial Control: China ceded territories such as Hong Kong to Britain, Taiwan to Japan, and various concessions to other foreign powers, reducing its territorial integrity.
• Extraterritoriality: Foreign citizens were exempt from Chinese laws, undermining China’s judicial authority.
• Treaty Ports: Numerous ports were opened to foreign trade and residence, limiting China’s control over its own trade policies.
Impact on Economy
• Restricted Tariff Autonomy: Fixed low tariffs on imports and exports prevented China from controlling its fiscal policies, harming its economy.
• Indemnities: Large financial reparations drained China’s resources, weakening its economic stability.
• Foreign Exploitation: Western powers dominated trade and banking systems, further eroding China’s economic independence.
These treaties reduced China to a semi-colonial status and contributed to its “Century of Humiliation.”
No Western Apology or Reparation
Western nations have not formally apologized or made reparations to China for historical injustices such as the Opium Wars or the looting of cultural treasures, including the destruction of the Old Summer Palace by British and French forces in 1860. While some Western powers have returned looted artifacts, these actions are often limited and not framed as reparations.
Japan, however, has issued multiple apologies for its wartime aggression against China, including official statements expressing “deep remorse” and “heartfelt apology” for the suffering caused during its imperial rule. However, these apologies have been criticized in China as insincere due to conflicting nationalist rhetoric within Japan.
Western Diplomacy
Perhaps the only western leader who has shown some depth and nuance in engaging with China is former Prime Minister of Australia Dr Kevin Rudd, who is also Australia’s current Ambassador to the United States of America. Here is what Perplexity has to say about him:
Kevin Rudd’s perspective on China’s historical injustices contrasts sharply with the United States’ approach, particularly in terms of acknowledging and addressing China’s historical grievances.
Kevin Rudd’s Perspective
• Rudd emphasizes China’s “century of humiliation” under Western imperialism, including events like the Opium Wars and the Treaty of Versailles. He views these as central to China’s national identity and its geopolitical behavior today.
• He advocates for “constructive realism,” urging Western nations, including the U.S., to understand China’s historical sensitivities to foster cooperation rather than conflict.
• Rudd critiques the West’s hypocrisy, arguing that Western nations often fail to acknowledge their own historical wrongdoings while criticizing China.
United States’ Approach
• The U.S. tends to focus on contemporary issues with China, such as intellectual property theft, human rights abuses, and military aggression, rather than addressing historical grievances.
• American rhetoric often frames China as a strategic competitor or rival, emphasizing ideological differences like democracy versus authoritarianism.
• While the U.S. acknowledges China’s rise, it largely views it through a lens of containment and competition rather than reconciliation over historical injustices.
Comparison
Rudd’s approach is more empathetic and historically informed, aiming to bridge gaps in understanding between China and the West. In contrast, the U.S. prioritizes current geopolitical challenges over historical context, often leading to a more confrontational stance. This difference reflects Rudd’s diplomatic focus versus America’s strategic rivalry framework.
Author’s note:
To date, no western nation has had the moral courage or integrity to apologise for their colonialist exploitation and injustice, let alone make reparations for their actions. On the contrary, western nations seem recalcitrant in their antipathy and hostility towards China. The United States of America is the current key player in this unjust treatment towards China.
It is saddening and infuriating that despite all the tall talks of love and justice in western religious discourse dominated by past Christendom and current evangelical “prosperity” Christianity, nothing much has changed in terms of moral acknowledgement of past injustice. If anything, contemporary prosperity pseudo-Christianity is fueling and legitimizing the brazenly cruel and destructive behaviours of the Trump administration by lending it a veneer of religious respectability.
The fires of egomaniacal delusion and hatred saturated with white ethnoracial arrogance and prejudice now burn with impunity to the peril of humanity and the planet. The bottomline of Trumpist aggression is Sinophobic racism. Brian Berletic, an independent geopolitical analyst, puts it cogently:
“The US could reindustrialize and drastically improve life for Americans and contribute to the collective progress of humanity. But we all know that isn't Wall Street or Washington's actual goal. The goal is for a nation that represents less than 5% of the global population to maintain dominion over the other 95%. It is irrational, unsustainable, and at this point even self-destructive. But because those pursuing this end goal have only known a world where they're in charge, and pursuing their ambitions is always at the expense of others, they see no reason not to continue trying anyway. Only when those on Wall Street and in Washington start facing real consequences will they begin thinking about a more rational and proportional role among rather than above the rest of the world. The multipolar world must stop appealing to this irrational mindset and begin instead to wall it off and contain it. Keep it out of your borders, help others to keep it out of your hemisphere, and in time, it will collapse in on itself."^
May this AI-generated essay (as well as this author’s note and preamble) contribute to knowledge and awareness of human hypocrisy and destructiveness (particularly by rich western nations in this historical moment) so that a more just future can be fostered by historically-informed conscious persons inspired by wisdom and compassion, infused by grace and truth.
^ Source: https://x.com/BrianJBerletic/status/1909471766617243941 posted April 8, 2025.
