In May, Chinese Marshal Wu Peifu, facing an imminent threat from Chiang Kai-shek's Northern Expedition campaign, appointed General Yang Sen as the Governor of Sichuan.
On August 27, Sen attempted to board large numbers of his soldiers onto the China Navigation Company steamer Wanhsien, which was anchored in its namesake city.
Considering that the crews of the two merchant vessels were in extreme danger, and the public killing of a Chinese Royal Navy sailor, the British decided to take forceful naval action to regain the ships.
[3] The Chinese government lodged a formal protest at the bombardment of a civil port, decried the unnecessary use of force to resolve the dispute, and claimed the attack was a premeditated act of violence.
[3] The matter was discussed in the British parliament, with Foreign Secretary Sir Austen Chamberlain declaring that the Royal Navy action was against engaged military targets.