According to histories, the earliest contact between China and the peoples of Southeast Asia can be traced back as far as the Emperor Wu of the Han dynasty (206B.C.-220A.D.). But it was only 500 years ago, when Cheng Ho of the Ming dynasty went to the South China Sea, that Chinese and Malays came into close contact.
根據史書記載，中國與南洋諸國的接觸，最早可溯自西漢武帝時；到了五百年前明朝鄭和下南洋，中國與大馬開始有了密切往來。