While Westerners in China pushed for rights and generally opposed Chinese reformers working to improve China, Chinese government and society continued to deal with internal problems. As Westerners in China pushed to claim rights and generally oppose Chinese reformers who worked to improve China, the Chinese government and society faced internal problems. As one of the main targets of imperialism, China faced strong Western influence. One of the events that marked the beginning of intense Western influence was the case concerning the Opium Wars. A major imperialist power, Great Britain, began trading opium, a highly addictive drug, with China in exchange for tea and silk. At first it seemed like a good idea: in the past, the Chinese used opium for medicinal purposes. Before long, the government began to realize to a large extent the deterioration caused by opium and how it should distrust Britain. In an attempt to eliminate Britain's influence, the Chinese began attacking British merchant ships. Thus began the Opium Wars and the obvious influences of Great Britain in China. One result of the Opium War that pushed Westerners to penetrate further into China was the creation of the unequal and unjust treaties, the Treaty of Nanjing and the Treaty of Tientsin. Most of the rights required by both treaties are very similar, namely the opening of ports to Western countries, the right to open numerous trade routes and the payment of indemnities. However, the most important aspect is the establishment of extraterritoriality. Extraterritoriality is where if a foreigner breaks the law or commits a crime, he or she is tried in his or her home country. This is unfair because the offender will gain an advantage in his home country; their court with......middle of paper......imperialism. February 26, 2010 http://www.essortment.com/all/imperialismwest_ridb.htm.Galduroz, Michael, Satou, Yuki, and Busetto, Alex. “Sun Yat Sen (1866-1925)”. Movers and shakers. February 25, 2010 http://library.thinkquest.org/26469/movers-and-shakers/sun.htmlCaswell, Thomas. “Opium Wars”. China. February 26, 2010 http://regentsprep.org/Regents/global/themes/imperialism/china.cfmBuschini, J. “Spheres of Influence.” The Boxer Rebellion. February 24, 2010 http://www.smplanet.com/imperialism/fists.html Wong, K. C. and Yuen, K. K. “Except for Dr. Sun Yat Sen's Tung Meng Hui, discuss the role of different groups in the 1911 revolution .”. Reforms and revolution. February 24, 2010 http://www.thecorner.org/hist/essays/china/socialgroups.htmHooker, Richard. “The Revolution of 1911”. Modern China. February 24, 2010 http://www.wsu.edu/~dee/MODCHINA/REV.HTM