Draft:Colombian-Chinese Friendship Association

The Colombian-Chinese Friendship Association is a Colombian non-profit, civil society organization founded in September 1977 with the purpose of promoting bilateral diplomatic relations between Colombia and China, composed of all political sectors without ideological or class distinctions and focused on the cultural interest of the Chinese people. At the time of its creation, its objective was to promote relations with the People's Republic of China under the precept of "One China" recognizing the Beijing Government as legitimate.

It is the only friendship entity in Latin America with a continuous history of 48 years. During its history, it has been characterized by stimulating ties between the two countries by spreading Chinese culture in cultural exchange trips of important figures in the Colombian public sphere, as well as the value of China as an economic ally. Currently, the association has sought to encourage cultural and academic relations between the two countries through its editorial line that includes serial magazines and books; academic and cultural events; and tourist trips to China.

History

Background of the relations between China and Colombia

The first contacts between the two countries date back to the 16th century on the Manila Galleon route during the Spanish Colonial Empire as part of the trade exchange between the American and Asian continents. The silver from the Spanish crown extracted in America became a fundamental good for the functioning of economic transactions in the Ming Dynasty and the Qing Dynasty. Spices, porcelain and elaborate fabrics were brought to America from the other side of the Pacific.

A second contact of greater impact occurred in the 19th century when thousands of immigrants from China, India, and other Asian countries were hired to work in American countries to replace enslaved black labor, and they used this opportunity to try to escape the conditions of poverty in their countries of origin. The countries that received the largest number of Chinese population were Cuba, Panama, and Peru.

From the Governmental Political Point of View

Already in the modern era and after the Second World War, Colombia had established diplomatic and commercial relations with Taiwan following the political line of the allies, which caused discrepancies with the Beijing government. These divisions increased with the participation of Colombia with the Colombian Battalion No. 1 in the Korean War supporting the forces of South Korea while on the other side China supported North Korea.

As part of the geopolitical configuration of the Cold War, Colombia was positioned as an ally of the Western bloc led by the United States that promoted anti-communist propaganda throughout Latin America, increasingly distancing a possible Sino-Colombian relationship. After years of struggles for recognition by the Beijing government, it was not until 1971 at the 26th United Nations Assembly that China managed to retake its position as a founding member of the UN. At this convention, Colombia opted to abstain.

The panorama of relations would begin to change in 1972 after U.S. President Richard Nixon's visit to China, after which the Washington government issued a statement accepting the One China postulate, thus paving the way for commercial relations. Diplomatic relations between the United States and China officially began on January 1, 1979, with the opening of embassies in both countries, which began a new opportunity for relations between China and Latin America.

Background of the organization of the Friendship Association

Thus, the Chinese government saw the need to make itself known abroad and in May 1954 the Association of the Chinese People with Foreign Countries was founded, which sought to promote friendship and mutual understanding of the People's Republic of China with countries that had cut diplomatic relations or that did not have relations through informal diplomacy. This type of diplomacy focuses on fostering ties of sympathy with social sectors that showed an inclination towards China independent of ideological affinities. Chinese friends were increasingly growing in Colombia despite the initial mistrust caused by anti-communist and xenophobic stereotypes, and over the years there was an increase in visits for cultural exchange.

One of the first promoters of Sino-Colombian friendship is Francisco Mosquera, founder of the MOIR, who after his trip to China in 1977 returned to Colombia with the mission of supporting the formation of a multilateral alliance based on interest in Chinese culture.

Foundation

In a context of increasing openness, a relevant precedent occurred in the 1977 friendly football match between the Colombian national team and the Chinese national team that visited the Latin American country, thanks to the efforts of Chinese supporters who would eventually become the founders of the Colombian-Chinese Friendship Association. However, the event had its mishaps when, at the time of singing the Chinese national anthem, the Taiwanese national anthem was played instead, causing a great public scandal. Despite this, the match continued as usual, and the Chinese national team was the winner. Likewise, another precedent was the establishment of an office for Xinhua, the New China News Agency, in 1979, who sent two correspondents to the city of Bogotá.

Thus, on September 30, 1977, a group of Colombians from different public and private sectors, with dissimilar ideologies and particular backgrounds, converged in their desire to form a sister society of the Association of Friendship of the Chinese People with Foreign Countries and thus formed the Association of Colombian-Chinese Friendship as a non-governmental, non-partisan organization, with the conviction that in the global panorama Colombia should recognize the People's Republic of China. This nascent group would be made up of friends of China who began to act according to the premises of their Chinese counterpart, focusing on cultural exchange in favor of the establishment of diplomatic relations between both countries.

The first president of the association was José María Gómez, who years later would serve as Colombia's ambassador to China. Luis Villar Borda, a member of the founding group of the association, would also be ambassador.

Post-diplomatic era

On February 7, 1980, diplomatic relations between China and Colombia were officially inaugurated after years of efforts by friends of China. The first Colombian ambassador to China was the industrialist Julio Mario Santo Domingo with Ricardo Samper as Minister Counselor and the Chinese representation headed by Zhao Zhengyi.

Thus, a new period began for the Colombian-Chinese Friendship Association, where it has focused on carrying out numerous cultural, artistic, academic, journalistic and educational activities for the promotion of the culture of the friend from the Far East, as well as political dialogue between both nations. Some of the activities carried out have been Mandarin courses, gastronomy and acupuncture courses, art exhibitions, conferences, gatherings, and publications.

See also

• China–Colombia relations
• Asian Colombians