China's influence in Zanzibar grew with the arrival of Muslim admiral and explorer Zheng He, who sailed around the globe long before Marco Polo and Columbus, with huge fleets of ships that were like mini-cities. His boats were called a "treasure fleet", as the vessels carried silks, porcelains and other valuables the Chinese could use totrade with foreign peoples.

In much of the recent media coverage concerning China's contemporary relationship with Africa, there is often little if any recognition that the historical connection between China and Africa runs deep. In terms of Africa, the Chinese are not new to the continent, neither in terms of trade nor of development aid. Even today, the Chinese are funding a variety of exploits, including a water supply project, which includes pumping station pipelines, providing safe water to around 2,500 residents on Zanzibar's Pemba Island. Since 2017, Chinese medical experts from the Jiangsu Institute of Parasitic Diseases have been stationed in Zanzibar.