What advantages did the chinese empire have over european countries until the late 1700s?

The main advantages were on trade imbalance caused by silk and obedience to government

The Chinese had one item of trade that was highly prized and protected called silk.nonetheless the Chinese were not buying as much themselves from the European countries. in addition, the Chinese were very obedient to their government, ensuring not only stability but also the concealment of the silk secret.

Identify and explain two specific cultural or political influences that islamic merchants had on sub-saharan africa.