In the late 19th century, China, which had been ruled for over two hundred years by the Qing dynasty, was subject to a series of humiliating unequal treaties with foreign powers after a devastating military defeat at the hands of the emerging Empire of Japan. With their armies and navies shattered, China appeared weak to the great powers who were eager to expand their financial and political control over China. In order to rebuild their military and reassert their own national sovereignty, the Qing government appointed the Marquis of Suyi, Li Hongzhang, as a special envoy to Europe in May 1896. Li, a veteran diplomat, was tasked with ordering new warships from foreign dockyards, visiting the Russian Empire, German Empire, Belgium and the United Kingdom throughout summer 1896. A pair of protected cruisers were ordered from Armstrong Whitworth of Newcastle upon Tyne in the United Kingdom as part of this. "Hai Tien" was ordered along with her sister ship on October 1896, two months after Li's visit to Britain. The two ships were based on an improved design, which Armstrong Whitworth had built for Argentina a year earlier but made to Chinese dimensional specifications. "Hai Tien", although laid down 16 February 1897, three months after "Hai Chi", and launched 25 November 1897, two months after "Hai Chi"'s launch, was completed a month ahead of the "Hai Chi". Both ships were brought to China by a contract crew, and handed over to the China's Beiyang Fleet on August 1899. "Hai Chi" and "Hai Tien" were the largest ships in the Chinese navy until after World War II.