The legal jurisdiction western powers had in Chinese ports
Western powers had extraterritorial rights or legal jurisdiction in Chinese ports during the 19th and early 20th centuries. These rights were a result of a series of unequal treaties imposed on China by Western powers, particularly Britain, France, Germany, Russia, and the United States, during a period known as the "Unequal Treaty Era."
Under these treaties, Western powers were granted extraterritoriality, which meant that their citizens living or trading in Chinese ports would be subject to their own country's laws rather than Chinese laws. This effectively placed these areas under the legal jurisdiction of the respective Western powers.
This system of extraterritorial rights allowed Western powers to establish their own courts and legal systems in Chinese ports. Western nationals accused of crimes would be tried by their own country's legal system, often with consular officials acting as judges. This frequently led to a lack of accountability and injustice, as Chinese citizens were often not afforded the same legal protections as foreigners.
These extraterritorial rights also extended to economic privileges, such as the ability to control trade, set import and export duties, and manage customs operations. Western powers established their own enclaves within Chinese ports known as "concessions," where they had exclusive control over trade and administration.
The extraterritorial rights and legal jurisdiction of the Western powers in Chinese ports were seen as a violation of Chinese sovereignty and deeply resented by the Chinese government and people. These unequal treaties and the system of extraterritoriality were a major source of Chinese frustration and contributed to anti-foreign sentiment, leading to several movements and uprisings against Western influence in China, such as the Boxer Rebellion in 1900.