Deng Tingzhen (; 1776–1846) was a Chinese politician who served as the governor-general of Liangguang (Guangdong and Guangxi) from early 1836 until early 1840.
In 1836, Deng expressed his approval for a memorial by his fellow official Xu Naiji recommending opium be legalized in China. However, in 1837, under orders from the Daoguang Emperor, he led a crackdown on the Canton opium trade (although remaining personally in favour of decriminalization). By the beginning of 1839, Deng’s crackdown had led to the near-collapse of the opium trade in the region.
Deng notably co-wrote the 1839 Letter to Queen Victoria with Lin Zexu, which sparked the beginning of the First Opium War."Commissioner Lin: Letter to Queen Victoria, 1839." Internet History Sourcebooks Project. Fordham University. Available at: sourcebooks.fordham.edu/mod/1839lin2.asp Along with Lin, he was sentenced to exile in the far western reaches of the empire by the Daoguang Emperor for his role in causing the conflict.
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