By 1624, when the Dutch invaded the island, the Kaohsiung area was already populated by immigrants from the China mainland. Fisheries and trade both prospered, since not only was Kaohsiung the best port in southwest Taiwan, but it also had a large area of land nearby which could be developed.
明天啟四年（西元一六二四年），荷蘭人入據台灣時，高雄市已成為沿海漁民移居地，漁業發達，貿易興盛。海灣已成為台灣西南海岸的最佳停泊港，陸地也已經開發。