Macao's Moral Maze: Sino-Portuguese Efforts Against the Early Modern Chinese Slave Trade

This article examines the Sino-Portuguese efforts against the slave trade in China from 1557 to 1639, highlighting the complexities and challenges faced in enforcing anti-slavery measures. Despite shared intentions to suppress the trade, divergent strategies and the pursuit of trade profits by local Chinese officials, merchants, and the business community in Macao hindered effective enforcement. By leveraging Chinese, Portuguese sources, including official memorials, Jesuit manuscripts, and royal decrees, the article offers new insights into the geopolitical and economic contexts shaping the slave trade. It underscores the need to understand the varied strategies and considerations employed by different entities in addressing slavery, contributing to a more nuanced narrative of global history and early globalization processes.