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When doing research on Amur War for A et D TL I studied sources on Russian-Chinese trade balance in early 1700.
I found out that China had relatively great demand of... corals when the reexport from Persia via Central Asia was impossible due to war with Mongols (Russia did some reexport, but the trade policy back then was suboptimal and led to oversaturation of Chinese market with furs which was the main part of barter with Russia).
So - WI any European country with colonies in Southern seas learns about Chinese interest in use of coral for decorative purposes? Can it tilt the trade balance before opium? Or will the opium trade still prevail due to being simpler?
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