Encyclopedia of India–China Cultural Contacts v2.c13.44

v2.c13.44

Because civil strife with the Chagadayid Mongols in Central Asia blocked the Yuan emperor Kublai Khan's ambitions in that direction, he was keen to keep the maritime route to Southeast Asia, South Asia and the Persian Gulf region open. This explains the very pro-active policy followed by the Yuan rulers in maritime Asia which served as the foundation for the much better known Ming era naval expeditions led by Zheng He.