More than six centuries ago, roughly 80 years ahead of Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama, Chinese admiral Zheng He reached the eastern coast of Africa with a massive fleet and a crew of more than 20,000 under his command.
The Ming dynasty ships braved formidable waves and traversed vast distances on seven epic maritime expeditions to reach the shores of Southeast Asia, South Asia, West Asia and finally the eastern coast of Africa.
Despite his achievements, Zheng He remains largely absent from Kenya’s history curriculum. In an effort to raise awareness of these ancient links with China, Beijing is increasing funding for archaeology, DNA research and exhibitions.
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By linking China’s ancient Maritime Silk Road with its modern Belt and Road Initiative, Beijing aims to highlight historical ties to contemporary projects, such as Kenya’s Standard Gauge Railway and Lamu port.
The latest example of these efforts is an exhibition at the National Museums of Kenya in the capital Nairobi, commemorating both the 620th anniversary of Zheng He’s voyages and 62 years of the modern relationship between the two countries.
Speaking at the exhibition, which opened on December 19, Chinese ambassador to Kenya Guo Haiyan said that historic Kenyan ports like Mombasa and Malindi were key stops for Zheng He, illustrating a long-standing presence based on harmony rather than force.