AHC: When China meets Portugal in Africa

What if the Zhengtong Emperor did not end the Chinese age of naval exploration and kept the treasure ships sailing? And what if the chinese explorers met portugese explorers at the coast of southern Africa? Will that change history?
 
What if the Zhengtong Emperor did not end the Chinese age of naval exploration and kept the treasure ships sailing? And what if the chinese explorers met portugese explorers at the coast of southern Africa? Will that change history?

The way I see it, you're changing history enough to get that meeting to occur that the question is kind of weird. China was very unstable at that time, the major changes that China would have to go through to be able to be stable enough to pursue exploration, would have a huge impact on the history of China.

After all one of the major reasons the Portuguese were sailing around Africa was to get to China, so they are actually expecting to meet the Chinese. It might make them think that they are closer to china then they really are. I don't think the Chinese would share maps with the Europeans.
 
China was not really exploring, the Chinese had been trading in the Indian Ocean for centuries and the Treasure Fleet was more of a flag flying and tribute gathering exercise.

It would have been fascinating if these missions had been continued, and the Chinese were in the IO when the Portuguese arrived. I can`t see them liking the Portuguese setting up their protection racket.
 
I can imagine the Portuguese would be less eager to fight for Asian trade when they see the size of the treasure fleets. If the treasure fleets don't get decomissioned then there are massive butterflies as to how trade in Asia develops.
 
Are the Chinese simply remaking Zheng He's expedition every year from 1433-1497 when Vasco da Gama arrives? That seems like it would be a too costly even for the Chinese. Since Chinese are repeatedly demanding tribute from the Arabs and Indians, it seems like those rulers would more likely simply tell the Chinese to piss off.
 
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