Opium Wars By wongh30 Mar 1, 1840 Military Expedition Mar 16, 1840 British Warships arrive in Hong Kong and go to Bei River May 21, 1841 British attacked Guangzhou and received a ransom of $6 millon Aug 23, 1841 China ceded Hong Kong to Britain Aug 30, 1841 Britain traded opium for Chinese tea with China 1847 Trouble grew and there was an incident nearby Foshan 1860 Britain stopped trading opium because China didn't want it.