IN the heyday of European imperialism, European powers waged the First and Second Opium Wars between 1839 and 1860, forcing China to allow opium into the country. That addicted millions of Chinese and enriched Britain, France and, since 1844, the United States.

Today, Beijing has banned another scourge preying on millions of Chinese: online gaming. But other countries, including ours, have allowed or even enticed internet firms conducting such activities to operate in our lands and profit from China beyond the reach of its law enforcers.