In southeast asia the european traders a) began a thriving trade with the local inhabitants b) pretty much did what they could to protect their own interests c) took care to bring along priests to evangelize the native population d) established trading posts on the occasional coastal town

Letter D would be correct.

The beginning of the European colonization of Southeast Asia occurred along the 16th and 17th Centuries and was marked by a heavy dispute between the great marine traders. The firsts to arrive were the Dutch, Portuguese and Spanish, followed by the French and British spice traders. They all soon engaged in eliminating each other through acquiring strategic locations and production centers. Later on, along the 17th and 18th centuries, they focused on dominating ports along the maritime routes, what also allowed them to levy taxes and control prices of the Asian commodities under their control.

D is the correct answer