At the time, the Ming Dynasty banned trade with the Dutch, known as the "redhaired devils," except for a single monopoly.
然而，在明末施行鎖國政策，禁止夷船在沿岸停泊市易的規定下，荷蘭人屢次請願，希望能夠派使通商，而明廷對於這些「鬚髮皆赤、目睛圓、長丈許，其舟甚巨，國人呼之為紅毛鬼」的海權大國，似乎並無通融之意。