历史上中美两国之间的直接通商,当追溯到十八世纪八十年代清乾隆年间。据《清史稿·邦交志四》记载:“美利坚……,初来华,货船常至粤东。”《清朝续文献通考·四裔考五》亦称:美国商船于“乾隆四十九年来粤购茶”。乾隆四十九年即1785年。事实上,美国商船于乾隆四十八年即1784年的下半年已驶抵中国。早在十八世纪初期,中国和北美洲已有间接的贸易往来。当时,英国东印度公司的商 Historically, the direct trade between China and the United States dates back to the reign of the Qing Emperor Qianlong in the 1880s. According to “Qing Dynasty draft state diplomacy four” records: “The United States ... ..., first came to China, the cargo ships often to the eastern Guangdong.” “” Continued the Qing Dynasty literature exam pass four test “also known as: Forty-nine years to buy tea ”. Forty-nine years Qianlong 1785. In fact, American merchant ships arrived in China in the 48th year of Qianlong, the second half of 1784. As early as the early eighteenth century, China and North America had indirect trade. At that time, the British East India Company’s business