They made little effort, despite the Jesuit presence in Asia, to convert local inhabitants to Christianity or to expand their territory into the interior.
( They ( ( ( ( ( ( made ( little effort ) ) , ) ( despite ( ( the ( Jesuit presence ) ) ( in Asia ) ) ) ) , ) ( ( ( to ( ( convert ( local inhabitants ) ) ( to Christianity ) ) ) or ) ( to ( ( expand ( their territory ) ) ( into ( the interior ) ) ) ) ) ) . ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (PRP They)) (VP (VBD made) (NP (JJ little) (NN effort)) (, ,) (PP (IN despite) (NP (NP (DT the) (NNP Jesuit) (NN presence)) (PP (IN in) (NP (NNP Asia))))) (, ,) (S (VP (VP (TO to) (VP (VB convert) (NP (JJ local) (NNS inhabitants)) (PP (TO to) (NP (NNP Christianity))))) (CC or) (VP (TO to) (VP (VB expand) (NP (PRP$ their) (NN territory)) (PP (IN into) (NP (DT the) (NN interior)))))))) (. .)))
The Jesuit thought that by converting the Asian people to Christianity, it would help them to expand their territory. 
( ( The Jesuit ) ( ( thought ( that ( ( by ( ( converting ( the ( Asian people ) ) ) ( to Christianity ) ) ) ( , ( it ( would ( help ( them ( to ( expand ( their territory ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) ) . ) )
(ROOT (S (NP (DT The) (NNP Jesuit)) (VP (VBD thought) (SBAR (IN that) (S (PP (IN by) (S (VP (VBG converting) (NP (DT the) (JJ Asian) (NNS people)) (PP (TO to) (NP (NNP Christianity)))))) (, ,) (NP (PRP it)) (VP (MD would) (VP (VB help) (S (NP (PRP them)) (VP (TO to) (VP (VB expand) (NP (PRP$ their) (NN territory)))))))))) (. .)))