The Victory Over the Qing
The final item on his agenda, was the containment of China. In beginning to modernize his military, Emperor Quang Trung sent a clear signal to the Qing, that if they ever tried to invade again, the losses would be much, much greater than the gains. Every Chinese Dynasty in the past demanded that Vietnam send gifts as a sign of respect to the Chinese Empire, symbolizing their tributary relationship. Nguyễn Huệ, however, rejected the Qing’s demands, clearly stating that Vietnam and China are equal, and that it was out of the question to comply with such a trivial request.
Nguyễn Huệ wanted more than just the containment of China, he also aimed to retake the provinces of Guangxi and Guangdong (Quảng Tây and Quảng Đông). In ancient times, Guangxi and Guangdong were part of Vietnam. However, the Han Dynasty captured these provinces during their invasion of Nam-Viet. For this reason, Emperor Quang Trung was determined to take them back.
Using his diplomats, Nguyễn Huệ demanded the Qing return these provinces, and that failure to comply would result in the invasion of China by the army of Vietnam. Fearing further conflicts with the Vietnamese Emperor, the Qing Dynasty reluctantly accepted. With his plans in motion, the future looked bright for Vietnam. In four years of his reign, Vietnam was starting its transition from a medieval kingdom into a powerful modern state. However, before Quang Trung could complete his ambitious goals, tragedy struck.