Number of Chinese ships and personnel active in the Indian Ocean 1405-1433

In the early 15th century, almost 100 years before Europeans reached the Indian Ocean by sea, the Chinese had already travelled extensively across the Indian Ocean. From limited, surviving records*, there are details of Chinese voyages as far west as Mogadishu in present-day Somalia, or Jedda in present-day Saudi Arabia. In fact, it is believed that China was the largest trading force in Asia from the 12th to 15th centuries, with trade networks along the coast of South Asia, and throughout the Western Pacific. However, from the mid-1400s, China's presence in the Indian Ocean diminished as it grew more isolationist, redirecting resources to prioritize domestic trade within the empire and the defense of its northern borders against Mongol attacks.

在15世纪初期，即欧洲人通过海上抵达印度洋近百年之前，中国已在大规模地跨越印度洋进行探险。根据有限的存世记录，其中记载了中国船只远至索马里摩加迪沙或沙特阿拉伯的吉达等地的航程。实际上，有观点认为，从12世纪至15世纪，中国是亚洲最大的贸易力量，其贸易网络沿南亚海岸线延伸，遍及整个西太平洋。然而，自14世纪中叶起，随着中国日益趋向孤立主义，其在大洋的势力逐渐减弱，资源重新分配，优先考虑国内贸易以及抵御蒙古袭击北方边境的防御。