 The slaves that remained on the island were responsible for working the plantations established earlier.This influx of inexpensive manpower made the labor-intensive agricultural sector far more profitable and between the Netherlands and China the trading done on the docks and the work being done in the fields, the economic profile of Curaçao began to climb, this time built on the backs of the slaves.The WIC made Curaçao a free port in 1674, giving it a key position in international trade networks.