(Essential questions) Liu Zhengqin, a former Chinese diplomat: Why did Brazil set up "Chinese Immigration Day"?
China News Service, Sao Paulo, October 15th, title: Former Chinese diplomat Liu Zhengqin: Why did Brazil set up "Chinese Immigration Day"?
China News Agency reporter Mo Chengxiong
In 2018, the then-Brazilian President Temer signed a decree, officially establishing the "Chinese Immigration Day" in Brazil on August 15 each year, which happened to be the day when China and Brazil established diplomatic relations on August 15, 1974.
Why did Brazil set up a national "Chinese Immigration Day"?
What does it mean for overseas Chinese living in Brazil?
Former Chinese diplomat Liu Zhengqin, who has worked in the Chinese embassies in Cuba, Portugal, and Brazil for more than 30 years, recently accepted an exclusive interview with China News Service on “Questions of East and West” to give an interpretation.
She believes that Brazil's establishment of the "Chinese Immigration Day" is a monument of bilateral humanities exchanges, which reflects the great importance of all sectors of Brazil on the development of China-Brazil relations, as well as the profound friendship between China and Brazil and the two peoples.
Data map: Brazilian Chinese and overseas Chinese held activities to celebrate "Chinese Immigration Day" and charitable donations.
The picture shows the wonderful dragon dance performance at the celebration.
Photo by Mo Chengxiong
Excerpts from the interview are as follows:
China News Agency reporter: Why do you think Brazil established the "Chinese Immigration Day"? What does it mean for overseas Chinese living in Brazil?
Liu Zhengqin:
According to research, in Brazil, a country with many immigrants, only three countries are involved in the establishment of a national "Immigration Day" by the President's decree: Italy, Japan and China.
The establishment of the “Chinese Immigration Day” in Brazil is of great significance to the overseas Chinese in Brazil. It reflects the recognition of the hard work and dedication of the overseas Chinese and the Chinese in Brazil for more than 200 years, and the high emphasis on the development of China-Brazil relations. It reflects the two countries and the two countries. The deep friendship of the people also means that the status of overseas Chinese in Brazil is improving.
As Temer, who signed this order, said, overseas Chinese have brought China's profound and profound Chinese culture to Brazil. Brazil has adopted legislation to set August 15 each year as "Chinese Immigration Day", which can further enrich the diversity of Brazilian culture. And the inclusive connotation will also be recorded in the history of humanities exchanges between the two countries.
The Brazilian Congressman Fausto Pinato, who proposed the bill, spoke highly of the status and role of Chinese immigrants in Brazilian society. He believed that Chinese immigrants to Brazil have a long history, work hard, and forged deep friendship with the Brazilian people, which contributes to the economic development of Brazil. And made contributions to various constructions.
He hopes that through the establishment of "China Immigration Day", the friendly relations between Pakistan and China will be further strengthened and the economic, trade and cultural exchanges between the two countries will be promoted.
China News Agency reporter: What is the process of establishing the "Chinese Immigration Day" in Brazil?
Liu Zhengqin:
In Brazil, the establishment of "Chinese Immigration Day" started in the city.
São Paulo State, the main gathering place for overseas Chinese in Brazil, was the first state in Brazil to set up the "Chinese Immigration Day".
On April 30, 1992, the Sao Paulo State Assembly passed a proposal for the establishment of "Chinese Immigration Day", and decided that the Sao Paulo State Assembly and the Sao Paulo Chinese Overseas Chinese Group held celebrations in the State Assembly around October 7th each year.
It is said that this date was chosen because it was believed that the date when the first Chinese immigrants arrived in Brazil was October 7, 1852.
However, this date lacks evidence of historical archives and historical data.
In 2007, the City Council of Campinas in the State of Sao Paulo also set October 7 as the city’s "Chinese Immigration Day."
On August 16, 2017, the Sao Paulo City Council passed a proposal submitted by Deputy Speaker Edir Sales to designate August 15 as the city’s "Chinese Immigration Day" each year.
In 2017, Fausto Pinato, a Brazilian congressman and chairman of the Brazilian-Chinese Parliamentary Front, submitted a proposal to the General Assembly of the House of Representatives, requesting that August 15 be designated as the "Chinese Immigration Day" in Brazil each year.
The proposal was passed by the House of Representatives the following year.
On June 26, 2018, the then-Brazilian President Temer signed a decree officially establishing the national "Chinese Immigration Day" in Brazil on August 15 each year.
The overseas Chinese in Brazil finally have their own festival.
Later, the Recife City Council also passed a bill in 2020, making this day the city’s "Chinese Immigration Day."
The state and city councils of Sao Paulo took the lead in establishing the "Chinese Immigration Day", which undoubtedly played a significant role in promoting the establishment of a national anniversary in Brazil.
Data map: On the evening of June 26, 2018, local time, the Chinese Embassy in Brazil celebrated Brazil's "Chinese Immigration Day" law.
Photo by Mo Chengxiong
China News Agency reporter: In 2017, the book "History of Chinese Immigration to Brazil in the 19th Century", which you and your diplomat husband Chen Tairong compiled for 16 years, was published, which filled the gaps in the historical accounts of China and Brazil. What made you think of writing this book? How did the Chinese immigrate to Brazil at that time? What is the contribution to Brazil?
Liu Zhengqin:
My husband and I have worked in the translation team of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China, the Department of America and Australia, the Department of Latin America, and the embassies and consulates in Cuba, Portugal and Brazil for more than 30 years, mainly engaged in translation and research work, and also in charge of embassies and consular affairs.
The main author of the book "History of Chinese Immigration to Brazil in the 19th Century" is my wife. I only cooperated with him in research, data search, translation, external liaison, and editing.
Since 2000, we have spent 16 years following the footsteps of Chinese immigrants to Brazil, visiting Lisbon, Portugal, Sao Paulo, Recife, Rio de Janeiro, and other places to investigate and search for historical materials. With the support of Brazilian friends and all walks of life, we finally Published the book "History of Chinese Immigration to Brazil in the 19th Century" in May 2017.
The history of Chinese emigration to Brazil has exceeded 200 years.
According to historical records, since 1809, the first batch of Chinese tea farmers have gone across the oceans to come to Brazil to grow tea and teach art, making Brazil the third in the world to master the art of tea cultivation after China and Japan. The country also spread to Portugal and France in Europe through Brazil.
Chinese tea farmers not only brought tea seedlings, tea seeds and tea-growing skills to Brazil, but also sent many other fruit trees, spices and other cash crops. Today, many spices and ingredients used in Brazilian kitchens, such as star anise, cinnamon, carambola, longan, etc. Both originated from China.
Afterwards, the Chinese expatriates who came to Brazil in batches many times later participated in repairing railways and roads, mining gold mines, building ships at the Brazilian naval shipyard, doing business in cities, opening restaurants, and producing gunpowder for Brazil in pyrotechnic workshops.
In 1855, during the construction of the first phase of the Pedro II Railway in Brazil, about 5,000 Chinese laborers lost their lives due to plague and cholera.
The Chinese expatriates have made indelible contributions to the development and development of Brazil. They have introduced Chinese tea culture and food culture to Brazil, and brought the traditional virtues of hard work, wisdom and kindness of the Chinese nation to Brazil.
We spare no effort and perseverance in conducting research in order to correct the fallacies and prejudices, to restore the original historical features of the Chinese expatriates, to fully affirm the glorious page they have written in the history of Brazil’s development and development, and to let future generations understand the humiliation and humiliation they endured. Tribulation, inherit their fine traditions, cherish the current happy life, and maintain and establish a good image of the Chinese.
Data map: The "Sing for China" Spring Festival pop-up event was staged on the streets of Sao Paulo, Brazil.
The picture shows the waist drum performance.
Photo by China News Agency reporter Mo Chengxiong
China News Agency reporter: What do you think of the current survival and status quo of the overseas Chinese in Brazil? How can overseas Chinese strive to improve their social status?
Liu Zhengqin:
At present, there are more than 300,000 overseas Chinese living in Brazil. They are engaged in a variety of industries and have achieved impressive results by virtue of the Chinese people's ingenuity and hard work spirit.
It can be said that, with the exception of a very small number of new arrivals, most of the overseas Chinese in Brazil are successful in their careers and have worked hard to achieve a "well-off home."
In recent years, many Chinese-funded enterprises have come to Brazil to invest and develop, which has increased the strength and influence of overseas Chinese and overseas Chinese.
The overseas Chinese in Brazil have not forgotten the warm reception of the Brazilian government and people. They regard this place as their second hometown, strive to integrate into Brazil, give back to the society, and donate money and materials during important Brazilian festivals or when disasters occur.
In the past two years, under the new crown pneumonia epidemic, overseas Chinese in Brazil and the Brazilian people have watched and helped each other and donated anti-epidemic materials and food baskets many times. They have been respected by the Brazilian government and people, and deepened the deep friendship between the two peoples.
Since the 47th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan, with the development of China-Pakistan comprehensive strategic partnership, China-Pakistan cooperation and exchanges in various fields have achieved remarkable results.
In the past 12 years, China has been Brazil's largest trading partner and main source of investment.
At present, China-Pakistan cooperation in various fields is continuously expanding and deepening, creating more development opportunities for overseas Chinese.
The overseas Chinese living in Brazil should further strengthen their understanding of the history of overseas Chinese, enhance their national self-confidence, give play to the role of a bridge and bond between China and Brazil, tell the Chinese story in Brazil, promote Chinese traditional culture, live in harmony with the Brazilian people, strive to participate in politics, and work hard. Improving social status, while self-development, to promote China-Pakistan cooperation and exchanges in various fields, and to make new contributions to the development of China-Pakistan friendly relations.
(over)
About the interviewee:
Liu Zhengqin is a former Chinese diplomat. He has been engaged in research and overseas Chinese affairs in the Chinese embassies and consulates in Cuba, Portugal and Brazil for many years. After retiring in 2001, he reunited with his daughter's family who lives in Brazil and has worked and lived in Brazil for more than 30 years.
In May 2017, Liu Zhengqin assisted her husband Chen Tairong, who is also a diplomat, in the publication of the book "History of Chinese Immigration to Brazil in the 19th Century", which was compiled for 16 years. The whole book is nearly 190,000 words. Through a combination of a large amount of historical data and field investigations, it was restored. The struggle of the first Chinese expatriates who arrived in Brazil in the 19th century.
The publication of the Immigration History book filled the gaps in the historical accounts of China and Brazil. While highly affirming the contribution of Chinese expatriates to Brazil’s economic and cultural development, it also corrected many previous contributions to China’s economic and cultural development. The prejudices and fallacies of the overseas Chinese.