[quote=@duck55223]
Although with Blue Coal China may have decided to industrialise, although their conservative ways as Dinh mentioned may have stilll gotten in the way. It is up to googs.
[/quote]

Well Cixi did perform some form of western industrialization in the early 60's on Cixi's orders after the Second Opium War. But it probably wasn't near aggressive enough at the start, and given the date difference it probably wouldn't amount to much.

What really sank them was their refusal to update the military. They attempted to do so, but Cixi got pissed off when the British ships they bought came to China with a British crew and still under British command. When negotiations on them turned sour they sent them back to England.