On June 6, the book “Facing Asia: Guidelines in the Chilean Relationship with Japan and China, 1880 – 1940”, written by Pedro Iacobelli, Director of the Institute of History at the University of the Andes, was presented. The event featured the participation of Francisco Urdinez, Director of ICLAC and Professor at the Institute of Political Science UC, and Gonzalo Maire, Researcher and Lecturer at the Faculty of Liberal Arts at Adolfo Ibáñez University.
Iacobelli's book examines the relationship between Chile and East Asia with a historical focus on the period from 1880 to 1940. This era was marked by the establishment of diplomatic relations between Chile, China, and Japan, an increase in Asian immigration, the incorporation of Tarapacá, and the integration of media into international news circuits, which facilitated the flow of information about Asia to Chile.
The book's chapters focus on three key aspects of the encounter with Asia, particularly China and Japan: cosmopolitan tourism, trade and the view of the region as a market, and the popular perception influenced by the press. This study reflects on how contact with different cultures in Chile led to ideological visions and disputes, driving new forms of national identity. The recognition of diversity in the Pacific Basin and interaction with Asia challenged Chilean intellectual elites, who had previously viewed these cultures as distant worlds.
During the presentation, Urdinez highlighted the book as an opportunity to gain perspective on Chile's relationship with China and move towards a more fruitful and fraternal relationship.
“Chile has the historical and geographical fortune of facing this region. Just as in the book it is often read as a misfortune and the desire is to be as European as possible, I believe that today in the 21st century, Chile has the great fortune of looking at these countries, and this book seems to me an excellent lesson on how we viewed this region for decades, hopefully, to change the perspective, especially regarding prejudices and the need to have a relationship that goes beyond the market, ideally one that has a fluid relationship and a slightly more open cultural exchange”, he noted.
The book is open-access and can be downloaded from the National Library of Chile's website.