I’m not saying I buy into the Chinese “victim “ argument. I’m just saying what I think the Chinese think. Both sides share blame. But truth be told, the European colonial powers left plenty of misery and exploitation in their wake wherever they went; North America where they committed near genocide against the native population, Africa where they enslaved the natives, etc. It’s true that the Qing underestimated western military technology but it seems to me that using that technology to force other countries to trade with you is also inexcusable.