What were the main terms of the Treaty of Nanjing in 1842?

The Treaty of Nanjing, signed on August 29, 1842, concluded the first Opium War. It is recognized as the first of the "unequal treaties" imposed upon China by foreign powers, as it forced the nation to concede significant territorial and sovereign rights.12

The primary terms of the treaty included:

• Indemnity: China was required to pay a substantial financial indemnity to the British.12
• Territorial Cession: China ceded the territory of Hong Kong to Britain.12
• Trade Expansion: British merchants, previously restricted to Guangzhou (Canton), were granted access to five treaty ports, including Canton and Shanghai, where they could trade with whomever they pleased.12
• Tariff Regulation: China agreed to establish a "fair and reasonable" tariff.12

The agreement was later supplemented by the 1843 British Supplementary Treaty of the Bogue, which introduced extraterritorial rights for British citizens and a "most-favoured-nation" clause, ensuring Britain received any privileges China granted to other foreign powers.12