打开中国大门的是棉纺织品还是鸦片?——兼析两次鸦片战争期间英国对华政策目标选择

The Big Gun" to Open the Chinese Gate Is Cotton Goods or Opium? ——Discussing the major target of Anglo - Chinese dipomatic policy between two Opium Wars

由于英中棉纺织品和丝茶贸易的不平衡发展,鸦片贸易在“三角贸易”中起举足轻重的作用,为维护怡和洋行为代表的鸦片贩子的利益,以及“英镑圈”内英国和土耳其关系中鸦片问题的重要地位等因素,说明英国为控制英镑圈内的市场,在两次鸦片战争期间对华政策的主要目标是“实现鸦片贸易合法化”.换言之,英国打开中国大门的重炮不是棉纺织品而是鸦片.

The author points out because of the unbalance relationship of Anglo - Chinese and the important role of opium in Anglo - Turk and Anglo - Chinese relations, the major target of Anglo - Chinese diplomatic policy was to carry on opium commerce legally in China in order to dominate the world market, specially " Pound Sterling Circle "between two Opium Wars . In other word,the "Big Gun"to open Chinese Gate was not cotton goods but opium.