How did inventions lead to an increase in Imperialism?

The Industrial Revolution led to imperialism in ways such as creating the demand for raw materials, which would be turned into products in factories, and providing the means to transport those raw materials with inventions such as the steam engine.

These new industrialized nations needed more raw materials to fuel their mass production and population growth. In order to maximize the countries profits, these industrialized nations went out to find nations that they could exploit natural resources and cheap labor from thus leading to imperialism.

china unilaterally claims the entire south china sea as sovereign territory, then builds artificial islands to bolster its claim. it suddenly activates an air defense identification zone over the east china sea, and threatens to down any aircraft that does not report its position. it builds roads into indian territory, then redraws the maps to show that it is actually chinese territory. the people's republic under president xi jinping is quickly becoming the bully of asia.