As Joaquín prepares to launch his book "Guanxi Made in Chile: academic, political and business relations between Chile and China”, the social anthropologist, student of the master’s degree in international studies at the University of Chile and member of the ICLAC Millennium Nucleus, Joaquín Sáez, reflects in this interview about his research upon his recent trip to Chengdu, China, and his commitments as president of ALADAA Chile.
- Tell us about your trip to China, how did the opportunity arise and where did you travel to?
A call was made for a new program called New Energy Talents from the Future Meetings Foundation and Tianqi's WE SHARE fund. This program consisted of twenty young people being sent to Chengdu to train in the lithium industry and learn more about Chinese society and culture.
A week before the program started, they notified me that I was selected and I had to get my head around very quickly that I would be embarking on China, a country I have long dreamed of going to, but I never imagined would come true so soon after graduation.
While there, I discovered that not only were we going to have classes at Sichuan University about lithium, but we were also going to create very important links on both a personal and professional level, with every day a new surprise: visiting museums, renewable energy companies, restaurants with traditional Sichuanese food like hot pot, among other activities we had throughout the month.
- How was your experience?
I had never visited Asia, so having my first experience in China, a country I had been studying for five years, was truly fulfilling. My experience was very full, more than what I could have enjoyed as a tourist since we were entertained on each visit and every day was an opportunity to discover something new. I discovered Chengdu to be a very friendly city connected to nature, where technology and the use of smartphones for everyday life were completely assimilated by the local people. It felt as if the connection between nature and technology was very balanced. This experience allowed me to understand the potential of innovation for Chinese society.
- How did this trip contribute to your education?
It allowed me to expand my knowledge about China in situ, by developing observations from experiences every day I shared with my Chinese friends, I had classes with expert teachers in electromobility, lithium battery manufacturing, international governance, gastronomy, and traditional Chinese history. Furthermore, as a social scientist, I had the opportunity to take classes in subjects such as chemistry, engineering, and renewable resources, something that I did not imagine being able to do, much less so in China, so the interdisciplinarity of this trip greatly expanded my academic horizons and sparked my interest in developing more research on lithium.
Anthropology and international relations: Guanxi made in Chile
This trip to China not only marked his personal experience but also his academic path, culminating in his book “Guanxi Made in Chile: academic, political and business relations between Chile and China .” This investigation delves into the relationship between Chile and China since the 1970s, based on interviews with key actors in this history.
Divided into six chapters, the book explores everything from the relationship between anthropology and international relations to the importance of guanxi in reducing asymmetry in bilateral relations. The research not only focuses on the past but also on how different generations have approached Sino-Chilean relations, how they project this relationship into the future, what challenges are present in the Chile–China relationship, and how to address them to achieve a better understanding. between both nations.
- How did the idea of working on this topic come about?
It arose from a group on China and the international system in which I participated at the Institute of International Studies of the University of Chile. Academics and diplomats met to discuss the challenges that Chile had with China. There, I understood that companies face an enormous challenge: understanding, at a deeper level, how cultural heritage can influence people to make certain decisions.
- When and how did your interest in studying China arise?
This arises mainly in APEC. I worked as a volunteer at APEC Chile 2019 in the interministerial finance meetings where I was able to approach delegations from different Asian countries, particularly Japan and China. With the Chinese delegation, I understood the relevance of China for our country and the relevance of Chile for China, which sometimes seems to be minor, but is very relevant. From there I wanted to try to understand this phenomenon and connect, getting closer to people who have interacted with this country and who have allowed the relationship to continue to be projected.
My interest then arises from understanding China and, above all, from something that I think is very important and is the challenge that I am trying to address with this book, which is that more people know about China and understand our main trading partner. If we want to know them, from a critical perspective or sincere learning, we need to know more about the country. This is an invitation to learn more about China and get closer through this book.
Current projects
- Tell us a little about your work at ALADAA
ALADAA brings together several academics and students who study topics from Asia and Africa, functioning as a network of interaction with professionals from all over Latin America and the Caribbean who, through a series of congresses, conferences, and research stays, share their work to create greater visibility of these. At ALADAA Chile I have been president for two years and I have been in charge of making the work of young researchers visible and disseminating through different media what has been done mainly around Chinese studies.
- How has your experience been inside the ICLAC Millennium Nucleus?
I have been able to help with some things as a research assistant to Andrés Bórquez and I want to continue promoting my ESG research and Chinese lithium companies. I especially liked participating in the conferences that have been held with international guests and core researchers.
I want to be able to continue enhancing my professional development through the projects carried out at the Nucleus, and I highly value the role it plays in the creation of knowledge when studying the impacts of China in Latin America.
The launch of the book is scheduled for Thursday, January 11 at 6:00 p.m. in the Matilde Brandau Room of the Faculty of Law of the University of Chile and will also feature the participation of the main researcher of the ICLAC Millennium Nucleus, Claudia Labarca.
Hybrid event, you can see the presentation at this link.