Page 177 - Vol_2_Archaeology of Manila Galleon Seaport Trade

148 T.-K. Lu

Fig. 8.1 Location of Taiwan, Macao and mainland China

India and Malacca in South-East Asia in early of sixteenth century. Half century
later, the Portuguese built an extended trade post, Macao, where is close to China, a
small peninsula at pearl river delta, Guangdong province.
Spain found another way toward east by maritime exploration activities from the
other side. She discovered American continent and navigated into the uncharted
waters, and crossed Paci!c Ocean in early sixteenth century. The Spaniard !nally,
conquered the Philippine Islands and built Manila city as her base in the Far East for
purchasing Chinese merchandises in 1571. Most of the Chinese cargoes were
shipped by Chinese junks from Chin-chou (Zhangzhou, !!), south of Fujian
province, China.
The Dutch made a start of her exploration into the Far East in the end of the
sixteenth century. After the United Dutch East India Company (V.O.C.) was set up
in 1602, the Dutch began her ambitious trade activities around Asia. Although, in
1619, the Dutch set her headquarter at Batavia, Indonesia, they still needed to wait
for Chinese cargoes which sent by Chinese merchants sailing for a long distance to