What was the cause of the Opium Wars in China?

The Opium Wars, which took place in the mid-19th century, were primarily caused by the British trade of opium in China and China's subsequent efforts to suppress this trade. During this period, British merchants began to export large quantities of opium produced in India to China, where it led to widespread addiction and social issues. The Chinese government recognized the detrimental effects of opium on its society and attempted to curb the trade by imposing strict regulations and enforcement measures.

When the Chinese authorities confiscated and destroyed a large quantity of opium in 1839, tensions escalated further. Britain, viewing the opium trade as vital to its economic interests and as a matter of trade rights, responded militarily. This conflict over trade practices and the impact of opium on the Chinese population sparked the First Opium War (1839-1842) and later the Second Opium War (1856-1860).

The other choices do not adequately capture the fundamental cause of the Opium Wars. While Chinese refusal to trade makes sense in a broader context of trade conflicts, it does not specifically address the central issue of opium. Territorial disputes and religious conflicts were not primary factors in this context; instead, the opium trade's economic implications