Name Some countries that claimed the east territory?

* Spain: Spain was the first European country to claim territory in the East, when it established a colony in the Philippines in 1565. Spain also claimed Guam, the Mariana Islands, and the Caroline Islands.

* Portugal: Portugal claimed the Moluccas (Spice Islands) in 1512, but was later forced to cede them to Spain in 1529. Portugal also claimed East Timor, which it held until 1975.

* The Netherlands: The Netherlands established a trading post in Batavia (now Jakarta, Indonesia) in 1619. The Dutch East India Company (VOC) eventually controlled most of the spice trade in the East, and also established colonies in Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), Malacca (now Malaysia), and the Cape of Good Hope (now South Africa).

* France: France established a colony in Pondicherry, India, in 1674. France also claimed Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam, which it held until 1954.

* Great Britain: Great Britain established a trading post in Calcutta, India, in 1690. The British East India Company (EIC) eventually controlled most of India, as well as Burma (now Myanmar), Ceylon (now Sri Lanka), and Singapore.

* The United States: The United States acquired the Philippines from Spain in 1898. The United States also acquired Guam, the Mariana Islands, and the Caroline Islands from Germany in 1899.