Between 1405 and 1433, the Ming government sponsors a series of seven naval expeditions.

Emperor Yongle designs them to establish a Chinese presence, impose imperial control over trade, and impress foreign peoples in the Indian Ocean basin.

He also might have wanted to extend the tributary system, by which Chinese dynasties traditionally recognized foreign peoples.

Zheng He, (1371–1433), a Hui Chinese mariner, explorer, diplomat and fleet admiral, makes the voyages collectively referred to as the travels of "Eunuch Sanbao to the Western Ocean" or "Zheng He to the Western Ocean".