The Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) was a time of rapidly developing Sino-foreign relations. The Ming government established a structure for foreign trade and commerce, and issued a blanket invitation to foreign governments to do business in China.
In addition to officially traded commodities acquired for the use of the Ming court, a wide range of foreign goods were made available to the populace at designated marketplaces.
China also dispatched diplomatic missions east to Japan and Korea, west to the Persian Gulf and the Red Sea, north to the great Mongolian Desert, and south to Southeast Asia, Indonesia, and Malaysia.
The great affluence and national might of Ming Dynasty China had an enormous impact on these regions.
(ChinaCulture.org June 17, 2005)
