Question: how did the dutch east india company came to dominate asian trade

title: Dutch East India Company
text: In terms of military - political history , the VOC , along with the Dutch West India Company ( WIC / GWIC ) , was seen as the international arm of the Dutch Republic and the symbolic power of the Dutch Empire . The VOC was historically a military - political - economic complex rather than a pure trading company ( or shipping company ) . The government - backed but privately financed company was effectively a state in its own right , or a state within another state . For almost 200 years of its existence , the VOC was a key non-state geopolitical player in Eurasia . The company was much an unofficial representative of the States General of the United Provinces in foreign relations of the Dutch Republic with many states , especially Dutch - Asian relations . The company 's territories were even larger than some countries .