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Why did the Ming dynasty regain control of the Liaodong Peninsula after the Yuan dynasty fell?

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Map of eastern Asia highlighting Manchuria in northeastern China, which includes the provinces of Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, and part of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. The highlighted area borders Russia, Mongolia, and North Korea. — Manchuria The historical region of Manchuria shown with the boundaries of the modern-day Chinese provinces in its place as well as the portion of the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region that is often considered part of Manchuria.

Following the collapse of the Yuan dynasty in 1368, the Ming dynasty established control over the Liaodong Peninsula as part of a broader effort to consolidate power and restore native Chinese rule across the region.1

After the Ming founder, the Hongwu emperor, successfully drove the Mongols out of central China and captured the Yuan capital of Dadu, his forces continued to campaign against remaining Mongol resistance. These military operations were aimed at securing the northern frontiers and reasserting Chinese authority over territories previously held by the Mongols. By reinstituting rule over the Liaodong Peninsula, the Ming dynasty sought to stabilize the border and reclaim lands that had historically been centers of Chinese cultural influence and settlement. This control allowed the Ming to maintain a strategic presence in the area, utilizing the peninsula as a fortified region for Chinese settlements throughout the 15th and 16th centuries.2134