Developing and Expanding Trade by the Portuguese in China in the 16th – 18th Centuries

Abstract

This article clarifies the process of establishing and expanding the commercial power of Portugal in China in the 16th , 17th and 18th centuries. In the second half of the 16th century, through various means, the Portuguese gradually “legalized” their existence and established a highly autonomous government in Macao. The Portuguese Crown expected to build a fortified base as a springboard to realize their plan in developing an exclusive trade network in mainland China and Japan as well as the other countries in Southeast Asia and South Asia in the 17th and 18th centuries. To study this issue, the authors mainly rely on original materials and academic achievements by Chinese and international scholars that are directly or indirectly related to the content of the article. At the same time, the authors use two main research methods of Historical Science (historical method and logical method) with other research methods (analysis, synthesis, statistics, and comparison). This research will make a specific contribution in recreating the overall picture of Portuguese commercial activities in Asia in general and China in particular from the 16th to the 18th centuries.