Treaty ports Facts for Kids

This page is about the ports in East Asia. For the Anglo-Irish Treaty ports, see Treaty Ports (Ireland).

Treaty ports were special port cities in countries like China, Japan, and Korea. These cities were opened up for foreign trade, often because of "unequal treaties." These treaties were agreements that powerful Western countries, and later Japan, made with China and Korea. They gave foreign traders and citizens special rights and privileges in these ports.

China's Treaty Ports
Japan's Treaty Ports
Korea's Treaty Ports
See also

China's Treaty Ports

Map showing Chinese treaty ports in the 19th and early 20th centuries

The first treaty ports in China were created after the First Opium War in 1842. This war led to the Treaty of Nanking. This treaty gave the island of Hong Kong to Great Britain forever. It also opened five treaty ports: Shanghai, Guangzhou (Canton), Ningbo, Fuzhou, and Xiamen (Amoy).

Soon after, other treaties added more rules. Foreigners got "extraterritoriality." This meant they followed their own country's laws, not China's, even when they were in China. Also, if one country got a special deal, other countries would get the same deal. Over time, more than 80 treaty ports were opened in China. Many foreign countries were involved.

What Made Them Special?

Foreigners in treaty ports often lived in special areas built just for them. These areas were usually on the edge of the existing cities. They were like small foreign towns within Chinese cities.

A famous part of these ports was the "bund." This was a long strip of land along the waterfront. It was where foreign businesses, offices, and homes were located. The Shanghai Bund was the biggest and most well-known. These areas often had their own shops, restaurants, parks, churches, and even police. They were mostly for foreigners, and local Chinese people often couldn't use their facilities.

Even though China was officially in charge, foreign powers often had a lot of control in these areas. Sometimes, foreign warships would even be in the harbor.

When the System Ended

The treaty port system in China lasted for about 100 years, starting in 1842. Many countries were involved, including Britain, France, and the United States.

The system mostly ended when Japan took control of many ports in the late 1930s. Russia gave up its rights after its revolution in 1917. Germany was expelled in 1914. The main foreign powers like Britain, America, and France kept their special areas until Second World War. They officially gave up their rights in 1943. After the communists took over China in the late 1940s, most foreigners left.

How Treaty Ports Changed China

Even though most Chinese people lived in the countryside, the treaty port cities grew into important centers. They had a huge impact on China's economy and society. Shanghai, for example, became a very modern city.

In Shanghai, British and American areas joined together to form an "international settlement." Foreigners rented land for a long time. They built factories, offices, banks, and hotels. They also set up sanitation and police. The city council, which managed the settlement, was mostly made up of foreigners. Chinese residents, who were most of the population, complained about paying taxes without having a say. Eventually, some Chinese representatives were allowed on the council.

Europeans brought new technology and business ideas to these cities. Chinese business people learned from them. The ports became major places for imports and exports. New industries like shipbuilding, textiles, and machinery started there. Banks like HSBC (Hong Kong and Shanghai Banking Corporation) were created. Railways and telegraph systems were built, connecting the ports to other cities. Chinese business people learned skills in the ports and started their own companies.

The port cities also became centers for information. Printing shops, newspapers, and magazines were common. Books from Europe were translated into Chinese. Many Chinese people in these cities started to adopt more modern ways of living.

Christian missionaries also set up their main offices in the port cities. They had limited success in converting people. However, they became popular for opening hospitals and schools. For example, St. John's University in Shanghai taught Western subjects like medicine and engineering. A network of universities and schools grew in the port cities.

Many students came to these cities. They used the new ideas and facilities to connect with each other. Some even started to plan a revolution against the old Qing government. Later, strong feelings of nationalism grew, partly because of how foreign powers controlled the port cities.

Today, many of China's special economic zones are in former treaty ports. This shows how these cities have changed from places of foreign control to centers of China's own economic growth.

Main Treaty Ports in China

Here are some of the major treaty ports and who had special rights there:

Shanghai: Had areas controlled by Britain, the United States, and France.
Nanjing
Zhenjiang
Jiujiang: British control.
Hankou (now part of Wuhan): British, French, German, Japanese, and Russian control.
Shashi: Japanese control.
Yichang
Changsha: Japanese control.
Yuzhou
Chongqing
Ningbo: British control.
Wenzhou: British control.
Fuzhou: British, then Japanese control.
Xiamen (Amoy): British control.
Guangzhou (Canton): British, then Japanese control.
Shantou: British control.
Sanshui
Haikou (Qiongshan)
Beihai: British, American, German, Austrian-Hungarian, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Belgian control.
Nanning
Mengzi
Simao
Dengyue
Yantai
Tianjin: British, American, Russian, German, Austrian-Hungarian, French, Italian, Portuguese, and Belgian control.
Niuzhuang
Yingkou
Shenyang
Changchun
Hunchun
Harbin: Russian, American, German, Japanese, and Soviet control.
Aihun: Russian and Soviet control.
Manzhouli: Russian and Soviet control.
Tamsui
Tainan: French control.

Leased Territories

In some areas, foreign powers didn't just have special rights. They actually leased the land and had almost complete control, like a colony.

Kwantung (now Dalian): Leased by Russia, then by Japan.
Weihaiwei (now Weihai): Leased by Britain.
Kiautschou Bay (now Qingdao): Leased by Germany.
New Territories (part of Hong Kong): Leased by Britain.
Guangzhouwan (now Zhanjiang): Leased by France.

Japan's Treaty Ports

Japan also opened ports to foreign trade. In 1854, Shimoda and Hakodate were opened to the United States. Later, in 1858, four more ports were added: Kanagawa, Hyogo, Nagasaki, and Niigata. Foreigners in these ports also had extraterritoriality.

However, Japan quickly became a modern nation. By 1899, Japan had changed its treaties with other countries. The system of treaty ports in Japan ended, and foreigners no longer had special legal rights there.

Korea's Treaty Ports

Korea also opened treaty ports. After the Ganghwa Treaty in 1876, Korea opened three important ports: Busan, Incheon, and Wonsan. Japanese merchants, and later Chinese merchants, gained special rights there. These cities became busy trading centers until Japan took control of Korea in 1910.

Treaty ports facts for kids

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