The earliest legislation to be found in the laws of the Indies dealing with the government of the Chinese was enacted on April 15, 1603. [499] This law forbade the alcaldes ordinarios to exercise jurisdiction over suits of the Chinese in the Parián, but it ordered that all cases involving them should be tried by a special alcalde of the Parián with right of appeal to the audiencia. A special judge was thus created by this law, with jurisdiction over the Chinese. [500] The purpose of this enactment was to establish a system of judicial procedure for the Chinese, whereby the latter might be kept apart from the Spaniards and natives in judicial as well as in governmental administration. This necessity was partly based on economic considerations, and partly on racial and religious reasons; it was designed essentially for the protection of the Spaniards. [501] On the basis of the above law of April 15, 1603, the audiencia immediately proceeded to concern itself with the government of the Chinese. It claimed jurisdiction particularly over the right to issue licenses allowing Chinese to reside and trade in the Philippines. This authority was also claimed by the governor and captain-general, who was responsible for the defense of the Islands. The audiencia also proceeded to issue regulations for the Chinese trade, laying itself open to the charge of selfish interest in these commercial activities. Complaints against the audiencia's intervention reaching the court, new regulations were issued on November 4 and December 1, 1606, which forbade the audiencia to concern itself with anything relative to the government and administration of the Parián, or with the Chinese who might come to the Islands for the purpose of trade, except at the solicitation of the governor. [502] In the letter accompanying these orders, the king informed Governor Acuña that although the Chinese in the Parián were under his charge, he was to take no important steps for their government without first consulting the audiencia. The inference of this law is clear, therefore, that the audiencia might have other activities than the purely judicial. This implication gave rise later to a considerable difference of opinion, but in consequence of this law the governor was established as the fountain of authority in Chinese affairs, with the oidores in a secondary position.