Final answer:
The Qing emperor demanded respect from the British representative during their diplomatic mission and refused their request for a permanent embassy in China.
Step-by-step explanation:
In response to Britain's diplomatic mission, the Qing emperor, Qianlong, demanded that Lord George Macartney, the British representative, kneel and knock his head on the ground as a sign of respect. Macartney refused to do so, and Qianlong considered him an inferior monarch, willing to accept the British king as a vassal but not as an equal. Qianlong also rejected Britain's request to establish a permanent embassy in China, stating that China had everything it needed and Britain had nothing of value to offer.