The Qing Opening to the Ocean: Chinese Maritime Policies, 1684-1757. By Gang Zhao. (Honolulu, HI: University of Hawaii Press, 2013. Pp. viii, 267. $56.00.) (original) (raw)

The Qing Opening to the Ocean: Chinese Maritime Policies, 1684-1757, by Gang Zhao, challenges the conventional narrative of China's maritime history, positing that the Qing Empire maintained a more open and rational maritime policy than previously thought. This perspective highlights the significance of the 1684 Opendoor Policy for Trade initiated by Emperor Kangxi and illustrates the evolution from tribute trade to the Canton system, allowing for increased foreign engagement in maritime trade. The book argues that Qing authorities understood the economic benefits of maritime trade while managing restrictions, thereby promoting a more complex and dynamic view of China's maritime history.