He Yu

“Chongqing boasts unparalleled geographical advantages as it is situated at the confluence of two rivers and is renowned as a mountainous city with distinct architectural features. However， what impressed me the most during my first visit to Chongqing on June 16 was its people. They are friendly， outgoing， and highly creative，” said Colombian Ambassador to China Sergio Cabrera as he shared his impressions with the media about his first visit to Chongqing.

From June 14 to 17， Sergio Cabrera paid a visit to Chongqing， where he visited enterprises， as well as the Belt and Road Commodity Exhibition and Trading Center. Additionally， he engaged in discussions with university students and teachers， participated in music radio programs to promote the cultural charm of Colombia， and further explored cooperation opportunities between Colombia and Chongqing in various fields.

Commodity Display Windows for Communication and Mutual Learning

“Chongqing-made commodities are very unique and attractive，” introduced Cabrera， adding that in Medellín， Colombia， there is a Chongqing Commodity （Colombia） Exhibition Center， where many Chongqing commodities sold are much welcomed in Colombia， especially automobiles， motorcycles， and electronic information equipment.

During his stay in Chongqing， Sergio Cabrera also went to the Colombian pavilion at the Belt and Road Commodity Exhibition and Trading Center， which is currently in preparation. He expressed that setting up commodity display windows in each others country would be beneficial for mutual learning and communication.

He also told us that during this visit， he saw Chongqings fruitful achievements in its recent years of development and that it would be highly meaningful for Medellín to learn from Chongqings advanced development experience. Medellín has placed particular emphasis on innovative sectors and has achieved remarkable accomplishments， especially in areas like medical education， which are worth Chongqings attention as well.

Medellín， the hometown of Cabrera， has established internationally friendly exchanges with Chongqing. According to Cabreras introduction， the natural environments of Chongqing and Medellín bear striking resemblances， and presently， both cities are actively working toward establishing a sister-city relationship.

On September 15， 2021， the two cities officially inked a Memorandum of Understanding for establishing sister-city relations. Alongside this， the Chongqing Commodity （Colombia） Exhibition Center was inaugurated in Medellín， to showcase and sell various Chongqing branded commodities such as automobiles， motorcycles， hardware， and hotpot condiments.

Thriving Development of Chongqing Enterprises in Colombia

Cabrera also made visits to two representative Chongqing enterprises， namely， the Liangjiang Smart Factory of Chongqing Seres Electric Vehicle Co.， Ltd.， and Chongqing Haifu Medical Technology Co. Ltd. He highly praised the modern technologies and innovative medical advancements of Chongqing.

“The modern technology-oriented automotive company， Seres Electric Vehicle， impressed me with its high production efficiency and excellent commodity quality. I believe that such commodities will be well received by the people of Colombia. Haifu Medical Technology is dedicated to non-invasive treatment technology， which is truly amazing，” said Cabrera， noting that both companies are industry leaders. Haifu Medical Technology has already entered the Colombian market and initiated relevant collaborations， while Seres Electric Vehicle is also on the verge of expanding into the Colombian market.

“The development of Chongqing enterprises in Colombia has been remarkable. Judging from the trade volume between the two sides， Chongqings total exports to Colombia far outweigh the total imports from Colombia，” Cabrera told us. He hoped that more Colombian enterprises would enter the Chongqing market while increasing exports to Chongqing. He believes that there is potential for Colombia and Chongqing to further broaden their cooperation in various fields like education and tourism.

Sergio Cabreras 60-Year Bond with China

Cabreras ties with China can be traced back to 60 years ago when he spent his teenage time in this country， thus developing a profound and distinctive connection with China.

In 1963， 13-year-old Cabrera followed his parents to Beijing and lived there. He studied at Beijing Chongwen Elementary School for three years. In 1972， he came to China once again， where he spent two years studying medicine and philosophy. During this time， Cabrera also pursued his interest to be an amateur filmmaker， creating his first short film.

Afterward， he went to the United Kingdom to further his studies in directing and became a famous film and television director， screenwriter， and producer by creating multiple influential Colombian films and TV dramas.

“Even though my experiences of studying and living in China are from a long time ago， they still remain fresh in my memory，” said Cabrera. His Chinese teacher gave him the Chinese name Zhiqiang， meaning a person with his own ideas and strong determination. Cabrera maintains contact with many of the friends he made back then， and whenever he comes to China， he will dine out and chat with them. Over the past more than 50 years， he has made multiple trips between Colombia and China， bridging the two countries in terms of culture and friendship.

In March of this year， Cabrera returned to China again， this time in the capacity of the Colombian Ambassador to China. He expressed his commitment to further enhancing the interactions between Colombia and China and fostering the development of bilateral relations. He hopes for both countries to enhance their collaboration， deepen their friendship， and strive for mutually beneficial and win-win outcomes.

Photo/The Foreign Affairs Office of the Chongqing Municipal Government & The Interviewee