Study On Swatow Sugar Trade In The Late Qing Dynasty

Before 1860,the political status and port trade of Swatow was not outstanding in Teochew,however Swatow depended on convenient waterway transportation with hinterland,excellent port and foreign trade conditions to become the second batch of treaty ports in China.The export of sugar in Swatow port was in a leading position in China in the late Qing Dynasty,and it’s importance was more prominent especially after the Sino-Japanese war in 1895 when China ceded Taiwan which was important sugar producing place.The export of sugar in Swatow port came mainly from Teochew fu and Teochew district still used traditional sugar method in the late Qing Dynasty from the production technology.In the late Qing Dynasty,Swatow sugar mainly exported to the domestic market especially Shanghai,Hankou,etc.in the Yangtze River basin and the export value of foreign market was low and shrinking.From the late Qing Dynasty to the early years of the Republic the rise and fall of the sugar trade in Shantou Port is a microcosm of modern history.The failure of the opium war to China made China open its door.Western countries took control of China’s tariff autonomy to take this opportunity.When western countries dumped cheap goods to China,Chinese custom was unable to adjust tariffs and protected their products.This led to a severe impact on China’s traditional handicraft industry and agriculture and its decline.On the other hand,the arrival of Westerners also brought to China the prosperity of trade and modernization opportunities.From 1860 to 1911,the sugar trade in Swatow Port showed a general growth trend.In 1880,Jardine Matheson set up a machine factory in Shantou sugar factory.However in 1886 Jardine sugar factory collapsed,and the impact of foreign inexpensive sugar Swatow sugar exports gradually entered the decline.The rise and decline of the trade in sugar trade in Swatow reflected the characteristics of modern China’s industrial and trade development,and its experience and lessons are still worthy of today’s people to dig and remember,and especially for China’s industrial upgrading and development and the promotion of competitiveness has practical significance.