"It's important to distinguish between what Chinese people wanted and what the administration wanted. The imperial administration's pursuit of mercantilist poli

"It's important to distinguish between what Chinese people wanted and what the administration wanted. The imperial administration's pursuit of mercantilist policy didn't mean that "The British could offer little in return that Chinese merchants wanted to buy." as the article incorrectly states." I think it is mentioned in "On China" that, when they saw an army steam ship heading upwards a river in the war they realized, the west had something they should have bought: Technology and weapons.