Realizing Japanese designs on the region, the imperial envoy Shen Baozhen petitioned the Qing court to establish a governmental presence at Langchiao, naming the area Hengchun County and placing it under the jurisdiction of Tainan.
眼見日本野心勃勃，欽差大臣沈葆禎於是奏請清廷，築城設官於南部「番界琅嶠」，稱恆春縣，屬台南府。