Why was Ibn Battuta appointed as an envoy to the Chinese emperor?

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Engraving of Ibn Battuta in Egypt, standing on a decorated stone block with another man, overlooking ancient Egyptian columns and palm trees in the background. — Ibn Battuta Ibn Baṭṭūṭah (right) with an Egyptian man in Egypt.

Ibn Battuta was appointed as the envoy to the Chinese emperor in 1342 by Muhammad ibn Tughluq, the sultan of Delhi.

After serving for several years as the grand qadi of Delhi, Ibn Battuta had fallen into disgrace under the suspicious and often cruel rule of the sultan. Following a period where he feared for his life, he managed to regain the sultan's favor, which led to his appointment as the diplomatic representative to China.1