Malindi is a city in Kenya that has been a Swahili settlement since the 14th century. Once only rivaled by Mombasa for dominance in this part of East Africa. Malindi has traditionally been a port city for foreign powers. In 1414, the caliph of Malindi initiated diplomatic relations with China during the voyages of the explorer Zheng He. The Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama met Malindi authorities in 1498 to sign a trade agreement and hire a guide for the voyage to India. In 1499 the Portuguese established a trading post in Malindi wich served as a resting stop on the way to and from India.