The US used the Opium War to gain significant trading privileges within the Chinese Empire. Through their participation in the war, the US obtained significant concessions from China, including:
- The Treaty of Wanghia (1844), which granted the US the Most Favored Nation status, allowing it to enjoy the same privileges and benefits as other countries in China
- Opening five ports to American trade, including Canton, Shanghai, Fuzhou, Amoy, and Ningbo.
- Granting the US extraterritoriality, allowing American citizens in China to be subject only to American laws and not Chinese laws.
- Establishing the US Consulate in Shanghai, giving American diplomatic representatives a direct presence in China.
- Low import tariffs that benefited American merchants and made American goods more competitive in the Chinese market.
- The US also gained the privilege of sending Christian missionaries to China, an important aspect of US foreign policy at the time.
This "opening" of China through the Opium Wars marked the beginning of the US influence and economic involvement in China, laying the foundation for future trade relations between the two countries.