Siamese embassy was followed by several more as the value of
Sino–Siamese trade became evident. One mission may even have been
led by the king himself. Among the valuable presents Ramkhamhaeng
is said to have received were a number of Chinese potters who estab-
lished ceramic kilns at Sukhothai and Sawankhalok. Lan Na did not
send its first tribute mission to Beijing until 1312, followed by six more
to 1347, by which time the Yuan dynasty was already in decline.
Implications for Southeast Asia
The impact and significance of these momentous events, covering the
second half of the thirteenth century, for relations between China and
the countries of Southeast Asia were considerable. The importance of
the extension of Chinese power south from Sichuan into Yunnan has
already been noted. It opened up a whole new area for Chinese migra-
tion and settlement, not just in Yunnan, but also in the largely
non-Chinese populated provinces of Guangxi and Guizhou. This
placed intolerable pressure on minority groups who had either to
retreat deeper into the mountains or submit to Chinese administra-
tion, assimilation and exploitation. A trickle of minority peoples south
out of southern China into northern Laos, Burma and Thailand con-
tinues to this day.
Overland invasion of Burma and Vietnam taught the kingdoms
of mainland Southeast Asia the very real threat of Chinese armed
intervention. I say ‘Chinese’ and not ‘Mongol’ because although
these armies were Mongol-led and included contingents of Mongol
cavalry, they comprised mainly Chinese troops. Moreover, they
came from China in the name of a ruler who proclaimed himself
emperor of China. So though these invasions can be seen as a con-
tinuation of aggressive and expansionist policies pursued by Mongol
rulers, for the peoples of Southeast Asia they were projections of
Chinese power.
A Short History of China and Southeast Asia