比達伽馬早80年抵達東非：中國航海家鄭和被遺忘的遠征，如何影響今日格局？
比葡萄牙探險家達伽馬早約80年，中國明朝的鄭和已率領龐大艦隊抵達非洲東海岸。這段被遺忘的歷史，如何成為影響今日中國與非洲關係及全球戰略的關鍵敘事？
當世界仍在傳頌葡萄牙探險家瓦斯科·達伽馬的功績時，一個更早的東方傳奇卻鮮為人知。比達伽馬繞過好望角還要早約80年，一支規模龐大的艦隊早已抵達非洲東海岸。這支艦隊的指揮官，是中國明朝的將領鄭和。這段被西方歷史忽略的航海史，其規模與技術在當時舉足輕重。
七下西洋：一支兩萬人的海上軍團
在六個多世紀前，鄭和率領著超過2萬名船員，進行了七次史詩級的遠洋航行。船隊乘風破浪，足跡遍佈東南亞、南亞、西亞，最終抵達非洲東部沿岸。儘管成就斐然，鄭和的名字在世界航海史上，遠不如達伽馬或哥倫布響亮。
歷史迴響與當代地緣政治
鄭和的遠航之所以在歷史上相對沉寂，部分原因在於其目的並非領土征服，而是宣揚國威與促進朝貢貿易，未像後來的歐洲殖民主義那樣留下永久性的政治烙印。這種以和平交流為主軸的歷史敘事，如今正被現代中國用來建構其與非洲及其他國家的關係框架，作為其全球戰略的歷史佐證。
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