Exchange Database
First Representatives of the United States Went to China
A ship called the Empress of China became the first vessel to sail from the United States to China, arriving in Guangzhou (Canton) in August. The vessel’s supercargo, Samuel Shaw, had been appointed as an unofficial consul by the U.S. Congress, but he did not make contact with Chinese officials or gain diplomatic recognition for the United States.
Outcomes:
Since the 1760s all trade with Western nations had been conducted at Guangzhou through a set group of Chinese merchants with official licenses to trade. Some residents of the American colonies had engaged in the China trade before this time, but this journey marked the new nation’s entrance into the lucrative China trade in tea, porcelain, and silk.
Contact Info:
U.S. Department of State
Government?:
Yes
Type of Exchange:
business
diplomatic
Partners:
United States Congress
Sponsor(s):
United States Congress
Participants (Types):
American diplomat
Exchange Date:
Sunday, February 22, 1784
Continuing:
No
Level of Government:
national
Location:
Guangzhou, China
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