On this day, October 8, in 1565, Spanish friar and navigator Andres de Urdaneta successfully arrived in Acapulco, Mexico from Cebu, the Philippines aboard the galleon San Pedro, thus establishing the route of the galleon trade.
We celebrate the Day of the Galleon to commemorate the Galleon Trade using the route found by Fray Andres de Urdaneta. Galleon Trade was the longest shipping line for 250 years, making Manila one of the greatest ports in the world.
500 years ago Fray Andres de Urdaneta discovered a sea current making it possible to cross the pacific ocean from west to east for the first time in history.
That’s how the Manila galleon trade was born.
Spanish ships from Acapulco in Mexico arriving in manila connected Asia, America, and Europe for the first time in a single commercial route.
The majority of goods coming from the Philippines headed to Mexico and Europe came from china. These goods included soap, porcelain, furniture, fans, screens, landscaping things, and much more.
Chinese soap and porcelain became luxury goods of the houses of the virtuous Mexican, Spanish and European families. In return, Spaniards brought silver to china which is very scarce there to mint the coins of the Ming empire.
They also brought spices from the Americas that even today continue to be a part of many Chinese dishes. 110 ships cross the pacific ocean for 250 years resisting long voyages, storms, and pirate attacks.
Thanks to China, the Spanish dollar became the first global currency and for the first time in history not only were goods transported in a completely peaceful manner but so are ideas, technology, science, and art. Today few people know that china and Spain contributed to the beginning of globalization. 500 years later, they continue the journey together.
2010
On this day October 8, in 2003, the framework agreement to create an Association of Southeast Asian Nations-India Free Trade Area (AIFTA) was signed in Bali, Indonesia, comprising all ten ASEAN member-states and India. The free trade area came into effect on 01 January 2010.
You may want to read: