The Ming Dynasty saw an upsurge in China's foreign diplomatic activities. The government extended an open invitation to foreign countries to do business in China, exempting foreign goods from taxation and ensuring high profits for foreign traders. China's existing commercial structure was modified to better meet the requirements of foreign trade, and an extensive range of imported goods was made available to the populace at designated marketplaces. More importantly, the Ming government actively dispatched diplomatic missions to establish friendly relations with neighboring countries.