Globalisation and the development of Chinese cotton industry in early 20th century

Abstract

Following the establishment of the Treaty Port system, trade in imported cotton products—including manufactured cloth, finer yarn, and long-staple cotton—between the west and China began, though it expanded far less than Western manufacturers had anticipated. Nonetheless, the influx of manufactured cloth introduced substantial changes to China's cotton industry. In particular, the creation of new markets by Japanese companies and practices like direct purchasing significantly contributed to the advancement of the Chinese cotton textile industry. Consequently, over the course of roughly a century since the initial inflow of manufactured cloth, the cotton industry in China became increasingly globalised.