Feature: Kenyan islands with footprint of Chinese expeditionary voyages

Evidence of the Chinese expeditionary voyages to the East African coast in the 15th century keeps emerging, supported by some residents in coastal Kenya claiming to have Chinese roots and ancient Chinese artifacts unearthed in the region.

From 1405 to 1433, Chinese diplomat and navigator Zheng He commanded the Ming dynasty's fleet of colossal trading ships to Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East and East Africa.

According to legends, two ships of the fleet were wrecked in the Indian Ocean and those who survived swam to the East African coast where locals embraced them. Some 20 of them settled in Kenya's Lamu Island where they later converted into Islam and married local women.

Six centuries later, residents believed to be the descendants of the Chinese sailors are visible in Lamu and other islands in the Kenyan coast.

Mwamaka Sharif, a 29-year-old girl, says her family is among the living testimony of the earliest contacts between Kenya and China.

In 2002, a team of Kenyan and Chinese researchers carried out a DNA test on Mwamaka's mother living in Siyu Island near Lamu Island and discovered she has Chinese ancestry.

In 2005, Mwamaka was sponsored by the Chinese Embassy in Kenya to visit China and soon afterwards the Chinese government offered her a scholarship to study Chinese traditional medicine in Nanjing University. Now she is studying for a Ph.D. degree in China.

Her hometown Siyu Island has for years seen massive relics unearthed that show the early trade and communication brought about by Zheng He's voyages.

Athman Hussein, the director in charge of museums, sites and monuments in the coastal region at the National Museums of Kenya, said archeologists have discovered relics like porcelain and coins that were symbols of the Ming dynasty.

Since 2010, Kenyan and Chinese archeologists have been tracing more evidence of the great expedition through excavating a site where the two ancient Chinese ships are said to have sunk after hitting rocks, Hussein told Xinhua.

"During the first phase of this joint research project, we discovered porcelain, iron ore and coins used in the Ming dynasty. They are evidence of Sino-Kenya ties that have survived six centuries," he said.

He revealed that the second phase of the archeological project will involve excavating the entire shipwreck site for more discovery.

"After the second phase is over, we intend to establish a public gallery where artifacts discovered in the shipwreck will be displayed," Hussein said, adding that the discovery of Chinese shipwreck will boost cultural tourism in Kenya.

Today, the long-standing ties between people of the two continents have been renewed by more and more Chinese coming to Africa for trade, investment and sightseeing.

Still in Lamu, a Chinese company is carrying out the construction work on the Lamu port -- which could be a best memorial for Zheng He's circumnavigation. Endi