Englishmen's Activities In Macao During Ming And Qing Dynasties(1635-1840)

Englishmen came to Macao in later Ming dynasty which drew the prelude to the interactions between China and England. At the same time, it also means the Englishmen had begun their covetousness and rivalry in Macao prolonged for over two centuries. Before the Englishmen's coming, Macao was the residence of Portuguese in China and the window of intercourse with foreign countries; and then, it became the focus of the relationships between China and England, China and Portugal , and also between England and Portugal after the Englishmen came. The English policy on Macao was adjusted according to the changes of its own power and the international conditions. Allying with the Portuguese, the English would open the Chinese market by dint of the power of Macao, and then tried to seize hold of Macao and made it be the front position to invading China; that was their whole tendency. The authority of Portugal in Macao let themselves be the free position between China and England. They withstood English attack by means of power of Chinese government, and then kept Macao still be the settle field. Qing dynasty gradually let go hold of the commercial intercourses with England; meanwhile, it stroke the English back sternly for any aggression and hold the sovereignty on Macao all the time.