At the end of the 1800s, why did people fear that China might be split into different imperialist colonies?

China’s defeat in the Sino-Japanese War of 1894–1895 exposed how militarily and politically weak the Qing government had become. Foreign powers then gained spheres of influence and special privileges in China, raising fears that they would divide the country into colonies. Thus, the best answer is that China was too weak to prevent other nations from controlling parts of its territory.

AI-written and checked against the verified answer.