China and Latin America are separated by oceans, and there has never been direct contact in recorded history before modern times. The contact and connection between these two regions is the product of the rise of colonialism in modern Europe.
1492, Christopher Columbus "discovered the New World". 1497 After vasco da gama opened a new air route to Asia, Spanish and Portuguese colonists, driven by the "gold rush", invaded Latin America continuously. At the same time, Portuguese colonists also stepped up their colonial plunder of Asian and African countries. As a result of this colonial expansion, originally isolated regions and countries were incorporated into some international ties, and the "ties" between China and Latin America were also "established" in this way.
Section 1 Maritime "Spice Road" and "Silk Road"
/kloc-Since the 5th century, Portugal has established many colonial strongholds on the west coast of Africa, plundering slaves, gold, ivory and ebony from all over the world. Then it occupied Brazil in America, expanded eastward, seized Goa in India, Malacca in Malay Peninsula, and finally stole Macau in China, extending its commercial power to Japan, thus establishing an overseas empire across Asia, Africa and Latin America. From16th century to18th century, the "spice trade" ships between Europe and Asia often arrived in Bahia, Brazil when returning from Asia. Port called San Salvador), unload China's silk and oriental spices, and then return to Europe. More ships sailed back to Europe first, and then transshipped goods from China and eastern countries to Brazil. Macau-Goa-Lisbon-Brazil (or go to Brazil first and then return to Lisbon) is an extension of the "Spice Road" in the Indian Ocean. It is also the first channel for Sino-US exchanges.
Shortly after Columbus sailed to America, the Spanish took control of the Caribbean coast and occupied the West Indies. With the expansion of colonial activities, the Spanish finally conquered Mexico, Chile, Colombia, Argentina, Paraguay and Uruguay. 1535, the Spanish occupied Tunisia and other places in North Africa. 1565, the Philippine islands in Asia were also occupied by the Spanish. By the second half of16th century, Spain had also become a huge colonial empire spanning several continents. The maritime "big merchant sail trade" route of Spanish colonists (Fujian-Guangdong port of Spain-Mexico-Philippines-China) became the second communication channel between China and America, and also the main route between China and Latin America.
65438+At the beginning of the 6th century, Spain had 1000 merchant ships, usually three-masted sailboats, ranging from more than 100 tons to 3400 tons. Most merchant ships are made of local wood in Manila, Philippines, so they are called "Manila sails". It took 250 years from 1565 when the first merchant ship sailed across the Pacific Ocean to 18 15 when it sailed for the last time. The Dashangfan Trade Line is the transportation line and supply line to maintain Spain's colonial rule over America and the Philippine Islands, and indirectly communicates the economic and cultural ties between China and the United States.
The occupation of the Philippines by Spanish colonialists had a dual impact on China. On the one hand, it destroyed the direct contact and traditional friendship between China and the Philippine Islands; On the other hand, it enables China to establish the exchange of needed commodities with America through Manila as a "transit point". After the Spanish occupied Manila, they traded with China businessmen there and set out to find ways to establish direct trade with China. From then on. There are more and more merchant ships from China sailing for Manila, and more and more people from China are visiting Manila. Transporting China goods from Manila across the Pacific Ocean to the Mexican port of Acapulco is a key voyage of Manila's commercial sailing trade, which is completely controlled by the Spanish.
China's cargo transported to Latin America through the galleon route is quite rich, which can be said to be all-encompassing, but mainly raw silk, silk fabrics and jewelry and jade articles. Silk goods are small in size and light in weight, but high in value, which is very beneficial to long-distance trade. Because China businessmen handle far more silk goods than other commodities, the market where Chinese people live in Manila is also called "raw silk market". Merchant ships from Manila to Mexico are often called "Silk Ships" and "Ships from China".
The merchant trade in Acapulco, the port of arrival in the United States, has gradually become an important market for China goods in the United States. The road from the south of Mexico City to this Pacific coast port is also called "China Road". Whenever ships loaded with goods from China come to Hongkong, there will be a grand market here. Businessmen from all over America and Spain transshipped China's silk and other goods to Central America, Panama, the northern coast of South America, the Caribbean, Peru, Chile and Argentina. China silk came from across the ocean, the price in Mexican and Peruvian markets is much cheaper than Spanish silk, and the quality is better, which is widely welcomed by people from all walks of life. China silk with good quality and low price has therefore become a best seller in the colonial American market. China's silk and silk products have not only changed the artistic style of American textile industry, but also influenced American dress, and provided cheap raw materials for Mexican silk industry. /kloc-At the beginning of the 8th century, the captain of the British privateer, woodes Rogets, once said that the brocade woven from Mexican raw silk from China can be comparable to any product made in Europe.