THE Cheng Ho private museum in Malacca which was opened on Sept 28 is believed to be the only other museum outside China dedicated to the great admiral also known as Zheng He. It is but a small tribute to a man who led the largest naval expedition in history 600 years ago. It was an expedition of dignified diplomacy, trade and understanding forged between the Ming dynasty and the Malacca sultanate, and, later, faraway Africa and Arabia. It was in 1405 that Zheng He was chosen to command the seven fleets of the Ming dynasty. Originating from Nanjing, the fleets passed through the Malay archipelago from the socalled "Western Oceans" or the Xiyang. For much of the early part of the 15th century, Ming China and the Malacca sultanate remained cordial and intimate. This resulted in the growth of a port state in Malacca, with the establishment of world renowned trading depots.