Dr. Kristie Flannery, an expert on Spanish colonial rule in the Philippines, discusses her groundbreaking work on piracy's role in shaping the Spanish Pacific World. She reveals how colonial officials and missionaries allied with Indigenous Filipinos and Chinese migrants to combat piracy. The conversation delves into the unexpected influence of Catholic priests in legitimizing imperial power. Flannery also explores the tumultuous Sino-Spanish relations, highlighting the fluctuating fates of Chinese immigrants amid piracy and colonial tensions.