How did Ming and Qing rulers view their interaction with the west?

During the early years of Ming Dynasty Chinese took the isolationist policy and closed the doors if trade to westerners.

Explanation:

The trade ties with Portuguese were the first that was carried on silk roads. Chinese rulers considered Europeans to be barbarian invaders and hence closed the marine roots and silk road leading to Europe.

European-Chinese relations during the Qing Dynasty were filled with war. English were not gaining anything through the tactics of diplomacy and hence they took up wars as a strategy. The largest wars that defined the Qing Dynasty's relation with Europe, were the Opium Wars. But Europeans were successful in influencing China by sending christian missionaries which rose to fame. in the late years of Qing dynasty slowly westernization was accepted.