Interesting you mentioned Hong Kong, while I agree with you in general, I think Hong Kong is actually the exception to the rule.
The First Opium War directly contributed to the destabilization of the Qing government that led to the cascade of power vacuums for the next hundred years. Before the war, China, while stagnant, was quite stable and was one of the wealthiest nations in the world.
The First Opium War directly contributed to the destabilization of the Qing government that led to the cascade of power vacuums for the next hundred years. Before the war, China, while stagnant, was quite stable and was one of the wealthiest nations in the world.