More than 600 years ago, the great mariner Admiral Zheng He, who hailed from the shores of Lake Dianchi in Yunnan, China, led seven voyages to the Western Ocean, with his fleet making six stops on the island of Java, Indonesia. On June 30, retracing the footsteps of this friendship envoy fondly known to Indonesians as “Sam Poo Kong,” the cultural exchange series “The Voyage of Admiral Zheng He: Friendship Envoy” officially kicked off in Jakarta, Indonesia, drawing more than 160 representatives from government, business, academia, cultural circles, and the Chinese-Indonesian community from both countries.
Organized by the Yunnan Provincial Information Office and the Yunnan Provincial Foreign Affairs Office, the two-day event featured more than 10 activities, including the presentation of a replica of Admiral Zheng He’s treasure ship (Bao Chuan), a cultural bazaar and creative poster exhibition, a seminar titled “The Global Civilization Initiative and the Spread of Admiral Zheng He’s Spirit,” and a ceremony inducting young Chinese and Indonesian students as “Friendship Envoys.” The series of events aimed to use the spirit of Admiral Zheng He as a bridge to uphold the values of peace, friendship, openness, and inclusiveness, while deepening people-to-people exchanges and friendship between the two nations.
Chen Wu, Education Attaché at the Chinese Embassy in Indonesia, noted that over 76 years of China-Indonesia diplomatic relations, cooperation across the “five pillars” — politics, economy, society and culture, maritime affairs, and security — has continued to advance side by side, with achievements such as the Jakarta-Bandung High-Speed Railway and the “Two Countries, Two Parks” industrial cooperation delivering tangible benefits to the people of both nations. He expressed hope that the two countries could draw wisdom from Admiral Zheng He’s voyages, becoming heirs to the spirit of peace, drivers of concrete cooperation, and sowers of cross-generational friendship.
Wen Liao, Deputy Director of the Yunnan Provincial Committee’s Office for the Development of Spiritual Civilization, said that Yunnan is Admiral Zheng He’s hometown and shares a close bond with Indonesia. The relationship between the two sides has evolved from simple cultural and trade interactions into more institutionalized, multi-layered, and comprehensive cooperation, spanning modern agriculture, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals, clean energy, educational and cultural exchange, and environmental conservation. She expressed hope that both sides would continue to cultivate the spirit of Admiral Zheng He and write a new chapter of friendship in this new era.
Vinsensius Jemadu, Acting Deputy for Event Development, said that Admiral Zheng He left behind many historical relics and collective memories among the Indonesian people, one notable example being in Semarang, which has since become an important cultural and tourism resource for Indonesia. He expressed hope that the “Admiral Zheng He Voyage Route” and other cultural tourism brands could further strengthen people-to-people ties between the two countries, while seizing the momentum of the conclusion of the Indonesia-China Five-Year Action Plan for Strengthening the Comprehensive Strategic Partnership (2026) to elevate cultural tourism cooperation and people-to-people relations to a higher level.
As a highlight of the event, a 71-centimeter-long, 60-centimeter-tall replica of Admiral Zheng He’s treasure ship (Bao Chuan) was presented by Yunnan Province, China, to the Sam Poo Kong Foundation in Semarang, Indonesia. The replica was crafted by Fu Kunxiang and Wang Li, inheritors of the traditional Kunming ancient ship-building technique, which is recognized as an intangible cultural heritage. The replica was modeled after Admiral Zheng He’s treasure ship from the Ming Dynasty, featuring the Fuchuan ship design with a sharp keel and wide hull, nine watertight compartments, and a keel structure, recreating in miniature the vessel’s elegance as it once sailed the open seas.
Wang Li expressed the hope that this “keepsake” would carry forward the friendship between the two nations and keep the spirit of Admiral Zheng He sailing into a new era.
Mulyadi Setiakusuma, Chairman of the Sam Poo Kong Foundation in Semarang, Indonesia, said that the Sam Poo Kong Temple, located in Semarang, Central Java, was built by the local community in memory of Admiral Zheng He. The replica ship, originating from Yunnan, Admiral Zheng He’s hometown, holds special significance and will be carefully preserved as yet another witness to the friendship between Indonesia and China.
The event also featured Chinese-Indonesian arts and cultural performances, with performers from both countries sharing the stage. The arts troupe from Yunnan, China, presented an ethnic dance titled “Bamboo Dance and Songs of the Archipelago on the Southern Silk Road” along with a traditional Yunnan music ensemble, while Indonesian dancers performed the traditional “Nusantara Dance,” turning dance and music into a bridge that strengthens the friendship between the two peoples.
Alongside the performances, a cultural bazaar and creative poster exhibition were also held. At the bazaar, guests from China and Indonesia had the opportunity to try their hand at making Dongba paper, tie-dye fabric, and traditional Dai weaving, as well as sample Pu’er tea and Yunnan arabica coffee. At the poster exhibition, a portion of the scroll painting “Admiral Zheng He’s Voyages to the Western Ocean,” a 13-year work by Chinese painter Zhong Kaitian, was displayed alongside 30 award-winning posters from the “AI World Heritage · In the Footsteps of Admiral Zheng He” competition, blending the elegance of traditional brushwork with AI-driven creative imagination, merging classical grace with future-forward creativity within the cultural legacy of Admiral Zheng He. (End)
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