Imperialism In Asia
To understand imperialism in Asia, the first thing that you need to do is to appropriately define imperialism. The most common definition of the word is that imperialism is the acquisition of territory belonging to another nation, or if not physically acquiring land, maintaining economic or political control over the territory or country. For the most part, imperialism in Asia has meant control of certain Asian countries or territories by European countries and the United States, but it also includes China and Japan’s imperialism in extending their own borders to include other countries.
The British influence or imperialism in India is traced as far back as 1600 and to the control of the British East India Company. After a revolt in 1857, India became subject to complete control by the British government. The Indian National Congress was formed in 1885 and over time worked for Indian independence, which was finally gained in 1947.
Britain was also involved in imperialism in China, which began with trade in the eighteenth century. Britain originally exported silver to China and China exported tea to the British. When Britain was no longer able to supply silver, they began trading opium. This led to a war known as the First Opium War in 1830. In that war, the British won and took control of Hong Kong. In the Second Opium War in 1856 Britain again gained victory and was joined this time by France.
In one of the most well known instances of imperialism in Asia, China battled with Japan over Korea. China’s loss meant that they had to give Taiwan to Japan. This was the beginning of several different annexations Taiwan was to experience throughout its history. Near the end of the 1800s, Germany, Russia, Britain and France all had influences on different portions of Chinese territory.
Although an independent China was desired, the country went in and out of the rule of other countries for over a hundred years. Many people believed that imperialism in China did not end until they received Hong Kong back in 1997 and the little territory of Macau in 1999. While imperialism in China is a part of history, so is Chinese imperialism as they extended their interests into Central Asia. The most noted expansion and the one causing the most controversy was into Tibet.
Japan had its own imperialist expansions for almost a century, from the mid-1800s until they were finally stopped in World War II. In the early 1900s, Japan made acquisitions in Russia, Korea, and Manchuria. The United States cannot be left out of a discussion of imperialism in Asia, as they took control of the Philippines from Spain in 1898. They kept the Philippines through two major conflicts before giving them their independence in 1946.