DUTCH TRADE AND NAVIGATION IN THE SOUTH CHINA SEA DURING THE 17TH CENTURY17世紀荷蘭在南中國海的貿易與航海
This article examines the entry and expansion of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) into the South China Sea during the 17th century. By the time of the first Dutch arrival in 1596, the region already supported a sophisticated maritime network involving Chinese, Japanese, and Portuguese actors. The...
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| Published in: | Review of Culture |
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| Format: | Articles |
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Instituto Cultural de Macau
July 2004
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| Online Access: | https://www.icm.gov.mo/rc/viewer/pdfViewerParts/40011/3846 |
| Summary: | This article examines the entry and expansion of the Dutch East India Company (VOC) into the South China Sea during the 17th century. By the time of the first Dutch arrival in 1596, the region already supported a sophisticated maritime network involving Chinese, Japanese, and Portuguese actors. The author analyzes the Dutch attempts to integrate into these established trading circuits, focusing on the logistical and economic challenges posed by the monsoon system, local monopolies, and the pervasive presence of piracy.
A significant portion of the study explores the Dutch experience in Banten, where they encountered a dominant Chinese merchant class that controlled the pepper trade and the local currency system (picis). Van Veen argues that early Dutch efforts were characterized by a struggle to bypass these middlemen and the disadvantageous exchange rates for silver. The article details the strategic transition from the short-term profit motives of early voyages to the more systemic regional intrusions of the VOC. By evaluating the clashes and negotiations with Portuguese interests in Macao and the shifting trade policies of the Chinese and Japanese authorities, the author highlights the factors that dictated Dutch success or failure. Ultimately, the paper provides a comprehensive overview of how the Dutch navigated the complex socio-economic landscape of the South China Sea to establish themselves as a dominant maritime power. |
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| ISSN: | 1682-1106 |