In 1553, during the Ming dynasty, after a Portuguese "tribute ship" was blown aground, the Portuguese captain asked to lease a nearby fishing village to dry out the goods. A local maritime official acceded to the request. In 1614, after the Portuguese had assisted the Ming court in defeating pirates, Viceroy Zhang Ming-gang secured the emperor's consent to allow Portuguese to settle permanently in Macau.
明嘉靖三十二年（一五五三），葡萄牙的「貢船」因遇風難，要求明廷租借澳門，以曝曬貢物，海道副使汪柏許之；萬曆四十二年（一六一四）又因為葡萄牙人協助明廷驅逐倭寇，總提督張明岡奏准居留。