Introduction of Advanced Global Trade in Ming China

In China now,(1450-1750) due to the areas of land that we have conquered, we are trying to immerse ourselves into the business of international trade and commercial development. We already have advanced geographic unity, river systems, and canals that facilitate the development of internal trade in within our country. Keeping to ourselves due to the many huge mountains and other barriers that cut us off from trading with other regions has helped us be self-sustainable up to this point in time, but we are interested in getting more involved in the global community. One advantage of conquering land within natural barriers would be that when there is a shortage in one part of our country we just trade with another part of our country to gain whatever we need. Also we do not have the problem of a multitude of misplaced workers due to the influx of migrants looking for jobs coming into our country because we are naturally segregated. Due to this, we never feel pressure to develop labor-saving technologies or to engage in extensive expansionist or colonizing activities, like our counterparts in the West and Japan. Because we have a stable system of economy and trade established in our home country we feel that we can be successful in looking outward to trade with others outside our country.

Therefore, we now focus more on global trade and a national market. At this point we, the Chinese, are now starting to experience a commercial revolution that includes extensive trade with foreign countries, including direct trade with Europe. This trade is aided by our continued use of the etensive trade system called the Silk Road. We hope to continue to grow this trade community to include the Portuguese, the Dutch, and the Japanese. We have heard that they are interested in Chinese silks and porcelain and we want their silver, so we hope to do business with them soon.