Just as the Great Qing was basking in the joy of the prosperity brought about by the Regional Economic Cooperation Alliance—blooming like flowers under the warm spring sun—a dark undercurrent began to surge quietly beneath the calm surface. Nations outside the alliance, consumed by jealousy and apprehension, grew wary of the Great Qing’s continued growth and the strength it derived from the alliance, viewing it as a grave threat to their own standing on the international stage. Driven by this narrow-mindedness, they began to orchestrate a series of clandestine maneuvers, marking the start of a war without smoke.
In the realm of trade, these nations, like sharks sensing blood, quickly united to build impenetrable barriers against the Great Qing’s exports. They wantonly raised tariffs, pushing the threshold for the Great Qing’s goods to enter their markets to dizzying heights and instantly stripping away the price advantages that had made the goods competitive. Not stopping there, they imposed draconian quality standards—shackles designed specifically to vex Great Qing merchants. Every clause served as a carefully laid trap, leaving the Great Qing’s merchandise vulnerable to constant scrutiny. Many products that had once sold freely in international markets now sat helplessly in warehouses, unable to penetrate these foreign markets due to these groundless restrictions. The Great Qing’s foreign trade, like a ship caught in a violent storm, suffered a heavy blow and began to fal…
Chapter 94