China held a forum Tuesday to commemorate its ancient seafaring hero Zheng He in Fuzhou, capital city of east China's Fujian Province.

　　More than 300 domestic and overseas scholars participated in the forum and reviewed the contributions of Zheng, a great Chinese navigator who made seven ocean voyages 600 years ago.

　　The scholars agreed that Zheng's voyages are greatly important to the Chinese and world navigation history. They are not only a part of cultural heritage for China, but also a marked step in world civilization.

　　With the theme of "Loving peace, Neighborly friendship and Development through Cooperation," the five-day forum is designed to publicize Zheng's great contributions to the world navigation industry and to all mankind and for promoting cooperation and exchanges between China and other countries in the world by carrying on Zheng's spirit of loving peace, bravery and diligence.

　　From 1405 to 1433, during the Ming Dynasty, Zheng He (1371-1435)traveled to more than 30 countries in Asia and Africa, traveling more than 100,000 kilometers. At its peak, his fleet comprised more than 300 ships manned by about 27,000 sailors, a number unrivaled in the world at that time.

　　According to some scholars, Zheng is believed to be the first man to blaze a direct sea route linking the Indian Ocean with the west. Zheng's voyage was 87 years earlier than Columbus' discoveryof the Americas and 114 years earlier than Magellan's round-the-world voyage.

　　2005 is the 600th anniversary of Zheng He's first voyage, and the Chinese government has set up a special office headed by the Ministry of Communications to organize series of activities to mark Zheng's contribution to the history of navigation.

　　Besides the seminar, other activities including lectures on oceanography, International academic conferences and an International Expo on navigation and the ocean will take place this year, said sources with Chinese Ministry of Communications.