How to control foreign settlement — 1877 Sino-British negotiations for Wenzhou and Wuhu foreign settlement —

In early 1877, Wenzhou and Wuhu was opened for foreign trade by the result of the Chefoo Convention, and negotiations for establishing foreign settlement was started. However, Wenzhou settlement was never established, while Wuhu settlement was delayed until 1905. Because there were no settlement successfully established, researchers rarely focused on Wenzhou and its failed attempt of foreign settlement. And about Wuhu settlement, the main concern of researchers were about foreign trade and likin problem.<br/> This research focused on negotiations of Wenzhou and Wuhu settlement, especially about intentions and reactions of Chinese officials for this matter. Finally, I will argue that Chinese officials tried to adapt to new situation in foreign trade, such as Chinese merchants pretending foreign merchants.<br/> There were many Chinese merchants pretending foreign merchants to evade taxes. Because foreign merchants lent their name to Chinese merchants, who wanted to evade to pay taxes, so that the Chinese officials should find way how to control those foreigners first. In result, foreign settlement became the answer for this question. They tried to let foreign merchants allowed only inside the foreign settlement, so that they can easily control every merchants inside the settlement. However, it also required proper Chinese authority available inside the settlement. For this reason, Chinese officials used the negotiation of Wenzhou and Wuhu settlement to achieve these goals.