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.
