In April 1899, 125 years ago, the first 790 Japanese arrived at the port of Callao, the principal seaport of Peru in South America, aboard the Sakuramaru, after a long journey from the port of Yokohama in Japan. This milestone was the beginning of Nikkei culture in Peru, a term to refer to Japanese emigrants and their descendants overseas—primarily in the Americas.

José Carlos Feliciano Nishikawa is part of that history, with both native Peruvian blood and the legacy of his Japanese ancestors running through his veins.

"My great-grandparents on my mother's side came to Peru in the early 20th century from the prefectures of Fukuoka and Okinawa," he said. Despite having grown up in the Peruvian capital of Lima, much of Feliciano's exposure to Japanese culture and Asian cultures generally came through his maternal

grandparents.

"They maintained certain customs inherited from their parents, but at the same time, they had the Peruvian culture, and especially the Peruvian Andean culture, so they were able to transmit that mixed heritage to their children and grandchildren."

Feliciano's interest in Asia extended beyond Japan to include China, particularly its ancient history and culture, a passion he developed during his school years.

While studying industrial engineering at the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru, the young Peruvian joined the International Association of Students in Economic and Commercial Sciences (AIESEC).

Through this organization, which focuses on promoting international exchange and leadership, he first traveled to China in 2009, a trip that paved the way for a deep connection that grew both personally and professionally over the years.

A decade of experiences

Academic cooperation and exchange had always fascinated him, so working in China as a volunteer project manager for AIESEC China was an opportunity he couldn't pass up. This experience was Feliciano's first real engagement with China, leaving him with some of his most cherished memories. During those initial 12 months, he gained first-hand insight into the country's social realities and traveled to more than 20 cities.

"I remember visiting some schools in the mountainous areas of Sichuan [Province, southwest China], where we had ongoing projects," he recalled. "They were villages still recovering from the Wenchuan Earthquake, and I remember the children's joy when they welcomed groups of foreigners serving as volunteer teachers in their schools."

On May 12, 2008, an 8.0-magnitude earthquake had struck Wenchuan, a mountainous county in Sichuan, leaving more than 80,000 people dead or missing. The earthquake remains one of the worst natural disasters in the country's history.

Similarly, he mentioned that they carried out projects focused on sustainability, entrepreneurship, training for migrant workers and HIV/AIDS prevention. After that first year, he partnered with some Chinese colleagues to co-found Seed International, a company dedicated to organizing educational and travel experiences.

"During our years of operation, we had many clients, including colleges, universities and business schools, from the Americas, Europe and Asia," he said.

Those years of working in the field equipped him with extensive knowledge, but he wanted to take things one step further. In 2014, he began pursuing a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree in Shanghai, and in 2018, he continued his studies with a postgraduate degree in Chinese language and culture at Peking University in Beijing. Living in two of the nation's largest cities proved an invaluable experience.

"In the case of Beijing, I liked that in addition to being the educational capital of the country, it has that historical and cultural contrast of different dynasties that can be perceived in its architecture and customs," he explained. "In the case of Shanghai, modernity and the perspective of global business were very present, so it seemed to be the ideal place to study for an MBA."

Throughout his decade in China, the Peruvian gained a deeper understanding of how both the Chinese Government and society work to achieve their long-term goals. "Despite challenges and changing circumstances, the persistent efforts to achieve national objectives are truly commendable," he said.

From the other side of the ocean

More than 16,000 km of ocean separate the coasts of China and Peru, but the ties between these two ancient civilizations have witnessed a rich exchange that has been reflected in their histories, customs, and even in their gastronomies.

Currently, Feliciano works as deputy director of the Center for China and Asia-Pacific Studies at the Universidad del Pacífico in Lima.

He explained that the center is a pioneering initiative of the university in the study and understanding of China and the Asia-Pacific region since its creation in 2013. It is also one of the few centers in the region specializing in contemporary China, with a dedication to research, events and specialized training.

In recent years, and particularly since the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative, a China-proposed initiative to boost connectivity along and beyond the ancient Silk Road routes, in 2013, Latin American countries have developed increasingly close ties with China, reflected in free trade agreements, investments and large infrastructure projects. In Peru, the results are especially noteworthy: Over the past decade, trade between China and Peru has doubled.

In 2023, Peruvian exports to China totaled $23.2 billion, marking a 10.1-percent

year-on-year growth, according to statistics from the Peruvian Exporters Association. Copper was the leading export, followed by other minerals such as zinc, lead and tin.

Additionally, China's considerable investments in Peru's mining sector, electrical grid, transportation and hydroelectric energy have provided employment and energized the Andean country's economy.

These developments have not gone unnoticed by the Center for China and Asia-Pacific Studies, which trains experts with the knowledge necessary to understand these dynamics and offers informed recommendations for decision-making.

"For example, a current strategic global study topic is the energy transition, where China leads the way, driven mainly by its goal of peaking carbon emissions before 2030 and achieving carbon neutrality before 2060," Feliciano explained. He added that this objective will require many resources and create another cycle of high demand for critical minerals and resources in South American countries over the coming decades.

"As a center working with academic partners from China and the region, we want to learn more about China's plans on its path toward a carbon-neutral economy. This will help us better prepare and identify opportunities for China to play a big part in the energy transition of our countries, not just as a buyer of raw materials, but as a partner that can contribute to industry development, job creation and technological transfer in our economies," he said.

There are several things he misses about China, like friends, food and, particularly, the convenience of the digital economy and transportation. Fortunately, his job keeps him constantly connected.

In late May, for example, he traveled to Beijing and Shanghai. The center has also had the opportunity to team up with some of China's most prestigious institutions, including Peking University, Tsinghua University, Fudan University and the Chinese Academy of Social Sciences, engaging in joint research, exchange and different activities.

For him, this link, especially the potential for students on both sides of the Pacific Ocean to gain a better understanding of each other's realities, is key for the future. "International mutual learning is a very powerful tool for developing the necessary skills in 21st-century professionals," he said. 

(Print edition title: Connecting Continents)

Copyedited by Elsbeth van Paridon

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