So how would China develop if there were no unequal treaties forced on them during the 1800s like no Opium Wars, no Eight-Nations Alliance, not losing Outer Manchuria, etc; maybe just losing Korea and Taiwan to Japan.
It is often discussed here that, following the Mexican-American War, the USA might have annexed more (or even all) of Mexico. Usually, this leads to a discussion aboyut just how realistic it would be for 19th century Americans to want to absorb sustantial amounts of Mexicans.
What I have never...