in 1602, a dutch trading company called the "vereenigde oostindische compagnie" or voc (literally "united east indies company" but better known in english as the dutch east india company) was created to conduct trade in the area east of the cape of good hope and west of the straits of magellan. in establishing their numerous trade stations spanning across asia, the dutch created independent settler societies in each of their colonies, where batavia (now jakarta, indonesia) became the administrative centre and rendezvous point for the company's asian shipping traffic.