The Area of the Port of Kaohsiung

The Port of Kaohsiung was only a small fishing village during the reign of Ming Chia Jing (1522-1566). In the fourth year during the reign of Ming Tian Qi (1624), the Dutch invaded Taiwan and conducted exploitation. In the 15th year of the reign of Ming Yong Li (1662), Zheng Chenggong expelled the Dutch, promoted trading and put in lots of effort in port expansion. It wasn’t until the 23rd year during the reign of Qing Kang Xi (1684), the Qing Dynasty focused on the operation of the Port of Kaohsiung, which became the commercial port for collection and distribution of produce in Kaohsiung and Pingtung. In the eighth year during the reign of Qing Xian Feng (1858), the Qing Dynasty was forced to open up the Port of Kaohsiung in the second year during the reign of Qing Tong Zhi (1863) according to the Treaty of Tientsin. The Port of Kaohsiung became an international trade port and the Kaohsiung Customs was officially established.
In the 20th year during the reign of Qing Guang Xu (1894), Taiwan and Penghu were ceded to Japan in the 21st year during the reign of Qing Guang Xu (1895) according to the Treaty of Shimonoseki after the First Sino-Japanese War. Japan implemented predatory economics in the colonized Taiwan. Therefore, it actively governed Taiwan and developed all kinds of resources such as rice and sugar to satisfy its own needs. The resources in Taiwan were beneficial to Japan for political and economic governance, and military ruling. Therefore, Japan put a huge weight on infrastructure, such as railway, highway, and the construction of the Port of Keelung and Kaohsiung. Therefore, the construction of the Port of Kaohsiung was discussed and performed. The exploitation was carried out in different stages step by step.
In the initial stage when the port was just opened up (1863-1894), the Port of Takao was open and foreign trade was allowed. British, French and Germans visited in the Port of Kaohsiung successively. The Great Britain, France and Germany assigned consulates, acquired concessions, and built trading houses and warehouses. More and more merchant ships from different countries came to the port. The international trade in the Port of Kaohsiung was prospering. On December 26, 1863, the day the port was opened, the Qing Dynasty set up the sub-customs at Qihou in the Port of Kaohsiung, the year that the port was opened. The Qing Dynasty appointed British as the first commissioner of customs. Therefore, the Port of Kaohsiung was no longer a fishing village or small commercial port but became a major international port in Taiwan.