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Which foreign powers established concessions in Shanghai during the 19th century?
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Shanghai
Skyline of Shanghai, China.
During the 19th century, several foreign powers established concessions in Shanghai, gaining special rights and privileges within designated areas of the city following the Opium Wars.1
The primary foreign powers that established these concessions included:
- Great Britain: Following the Treaty of Nanjing, the British were among the first to take possession of designated areas.1
- France: The French maintained a separate concession, which was historically separated from the British area by the Yangjingbang Canal (now Yan’an Dong Lu).12
- United States: American interests were significant in the early development of the city, particularly in the Hongkou district. The United States and Great Britain eventually coalesced their interests to form the Shanghai International Settlement.23
- Japan: Following the Treaty of Shimonoseki in 1895, Japan was granted its own concession.1
Within these settlements, foreign powers exercised de facto rule, maintaining their own police forces, tax systems, and legal jurisdiction over their nationals, independent of the Chinese government.3