Sumatra

Opinion | When an ancient Chinese voyager tried durian, and the rise of Malaysia’s cultivars

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Opinion | When an ancient Chinese voyager tried durian, and the rise of Malaysia’s cultivars

I met a couple of friends I know from Hong Kong in Malaysia last week. One of the highlights was us polishing off two really good durians in Petaling Jaya, the city next to Kuala Lumpur. Well, it was a highlight for the two Malaysians and one Singaporean in our group. Our long-suffering Australian friend … Read more

Opinion | The Chinese eunuch who beat admiral Zheng He to Malacca, and the exchanges that followed between its rulers and China

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Opinion | The Chinese eunuch who beat admiral Zheng He to Malacca, and the exchanges that followed between its rulers and China

Merchants from as far as the Middle East and the Ryukyu kingdom (present-day Okinawa) called at its port. A 17th century map of Malacca. Photo: Getty Images His monumental visits, accompanied by a fleet of the biggest ships the world had ever seen at the time, spawned many stories of dubious historicity that continue to … Read more