Who discovered China by the sea route?

The sea route to China was discovered by the Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama in 1498, when he successfully sailed around the Cape of Good Hope to reach India. While he did not directly reach China, his voyage opened the sea trade routes to Asia, including China. Subsequent Portuguese explorers, such as Jorge Álvares, were among the first Europeans to reach China by sea in the early 16th century.