The Viceroy and the Portuguese: the establishment of Ming policy toward Macao

This study seeks to shed more light on the mysterious origins of Macau. Scholars have long debated over how the port came to exist, over which Chinese officials had permitted it. This piece argues that the figure who was most responsible was the Viceroy of Guangdong and Guangxi. In 1564, the Viceroy firmly brought the port under his own control and set up the basic administrative structure over it. He also subdued two other officials who had previously been asserting their own authority: the coastal administration official (Haidao) and the commander of the Guangdong navy.