The British in Canton had benefited from and balanced the strong Chinese tea monopoly with a thriving, albeit illegal, opium trade. Opium was first smuggled into China following her refusal to import foreign goods into the country.
In 1839, the Chinese destroyed a large consignment of opium in an attempt to put a stop to the illegal trade. As a result, the English, who for years had wanted to increase trade with China, took this as a pretext to attack China. The war ended in 1842 with the signing of the Treaty of Nanjing. Among its provisions were the opening of five ports to foreign trade (which included Canton) and the annexation of Hong Kong Island.
The Treaty of Nanjing set the parameters for British trade with China. The war and resulting treaty also led to the [G 24 / Taiping] Rebellion after the [G 11 / Manchus] attempted to pass the costs of the war on to their Chinese subjects.
