In the 2nd century BCE, what later became Annam was part of the kingdom of Nan Yue or Triệu Dynasty, an ancient kingdom formed upon the union of Baiyue people at the final collapse of the Qin Dynasty by former Qin General Zhao Tuo and was nominally subject to the Chinese Han Empire.

In 111 BCE, the Han imperial government, under Emperor Wu of Han, invades Nanyue and asserts direct control for the first time.

By 108 BCE, the conquest is completed and the Chinese take over the lands.

The first name given the land based around Hanoi and the Red River is Jiaozhi.