China and Kenya have signed an agreement to jointly explore the Kenyan coast for wrecks of ancient Chinese merchant ships.

The three-year project, funded by China's Ministry of Commerce, will explore Kenya's coasts around Malindi City and the Lamu Archipelago.

"Historical records indicate Chinese merchant ships sank in the seas around Kenya. We hope to find wrecks of the fleet of the legendary Zheng He," said Zhang Wei, deputy curator of the National Museum of China, Thursday.

Zheng He was a Ming Dynasty (1368-1644) eunuch who led a merchant fleet of hundreds of ships to Kenya twice in the 15th Century.

Many people believe one of Zheng's ships sunk around the Lamu Archipelago. The sailors then stayed on the archipelago, married locals, and taught them farming and fishing.

Archaeological digs have also proved the existence of Chinese-descended people on the archipelago, according to Zhang.

China will send archaeological experts to work in Kenya for two to three months every year, according to the agreement. The first group may arrive in Kenya in July, Director General of Kenya's National Museum Idle Omar Farah said.

(Xinhua News Agency February 26, 2010)