The Opium War's Secret History

Losers rarely name wars, an exception being the conflict between Britain and China from 1839 to 1842, known bluntly ever since as the Opium War.

To most Chinese, a century of humiliation began with this war, in which Westerners sought to force a deadly drug on an Asian people, and then imposed an unequal treaty that pried open their country and annexed the island that became Hong Kong.

In embarrassing truth, that is essentially what happened. As Hong Kong reverts to China at month's end, many of us for the first time may see a bit of history from a different end of the telescope. Yet a further point needs making.

[continues 589 words]

By LAURA MYERS

WASHINGTON (AP) U.S. drug and law enforcement officials expressed confidence Thursday that it will be ``business as usual'' in getting police cooperation after Hong Kong reverts to Chinese rule.

But skeptical lawmakers said they aren't so sure an authoritarian Beijing, often suspicious of U.S. motives, will collaborate to catch crooks after the United Kingdom cedes control July 1. The island is a nexus for international trafficking in drugs, immigrants and money laundering.

``Isn't it true that, really, none of you has any idea of what China will do to cooperate?'' Sen. Joseph Biden, DDel., asked Clinton administration officials at a congressional hearing. ``It's almost like trying to read the entrails of goats. ... Even they don't know what they're going to do yet.

[continues 383 words]