Which statement is true in the context of European exploration in Asia?
A. Spain was the first European power to gain a foothold in Asia.
B. Portugal seized the island of Goa, making it their major military and commercial base.
C. For most of the 1500s, Portugal could not control the spice trade between Europe and Asia.
D. Italy was the first European country to challenge Portuguese domination of Asian trade in the 1500s.