The Portuguese empire which was one of the largest and longest-lived empires in world history, began to build trading posts in India in the 1600s. The Portuguese established the trading empire in Asia because they did not encounter any resistance, so they built their trading posts in Goa and in Malacca (Malaysia in present-day). The Malacca peninsula became the strategic base for Portuguese trade expansion with China and Southeast Asia. Not only did the Portuguese but also the Spanish become interesting in expanding their power and influence by establishing building forts and trading out of them.