Relations between both nations went through three stages: Chinese coolieism as an institutionalization of human capital export to Latin America during the nineteenth century; the Maoist ideology transfer in the 1970s and 1980s; and, from the 1990s onwards, through international trade and cultural and Mandarin language centers—the Confucius Institute.[2]
History
Relations were established more than 160 years ago, intertwined with local social imageries, power structure, and narratives. Peru established relations with the Qing dynasty with the signing of a treaty in Tianjin on June 26, 1874.[3][4] Peru's first Resident Ambassador was named the next year, assuming his duties on May 20, 1878, while the Chinese ambassador would only reach Peru in 1883, after the War of the Pacific.[3][5][6] Relations between both states started with the Coolie Trade and matured during the ‘Hundred Years weakness and poverty’ (Wang, 1993) from the 1840s to 1949 of the impoverished Qing China, followed by a republic divided by civil wars and invaded by Japan.[2]
After the establishment of the Republic of China, Peru maintained its relations with the new Kuomintang government. In 1944, the diplomatic status of the two countries was raised to embassy level, and high-level officials of the two countries exchanged frequent visits in the 1950s and 1960s.[7] As a result of the Chinese Civil War, Peru closed its embassy in Beijing in 1946.[8]
In May 1978, the ROC established the "Far East Trade Center" in Lima to promote bilateral trade. On November 5, 1990, President Alberto Fujimori approved Supreme Executive Order No. RE014, agreeing to change the name of "Far East Trade Center" to "Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Peru". On March 3, 1994, Peru established a "Taipei Trade Office" in Taiwan.[7]
Peru and the PRC signed a free trade agreement in April 2009. The agreement was officially ratified by both countries governments on December 6, 2009, and came into effect on March 1, 2010.[12][13][14]
Hong Kong–Peru relations (Chinese: 香港与秘鲁关系; pinyin: Xiānggǎng yǔ bìlǔ guānxì; Spanish: Relaciones Hong Kong-Perú) are carried out under the larger context of relations with China and date back to the British era of the region.
Many Chinese Peruvians are descendants of coolies that came from East Asia, including then British Hong Kong. Recorded voyages of coolie ships to Peru include the Lady Montagne (February 17, 1850; left with 450 coolies on board), the Albert (September 7, 1850; 156 coolies), the Victory (December 6, 1851; 335 coolies) the Beatrice (January 20, 1852; 300 coolies), the Frederich (January 19, 1869; 379 coolies), etc. In 1870, the Governor of Hong Kong, Richard Graves MacDonnell, accused the Peruvian consul in China, César A. del Río, of being involved in this trade after it was outlawed.[20][21]
In the 1960s, Peru established honorary consulates in British Hong Kong. A Peruvian delegation of the Public Fishmeal and Fish Oil Marketing Company (Spanish: Empresa Pública de Comercialización Harina y Aceite de pescado) visited Hong Kong in 1970 with the objective of studying the mainland Chinese market up close. This resulted on the opening of a Commercial Office in Beijing on September of the following year as a prelude of the formalisation of relations in November.[22]
In 2008, an agreement was signed aiming at the negotiation of a free trade agreement between both regions.[25] Said negotiations started in 2023. In 2022, Peruvian exports were valued at US$ 262 million, while Hongkonger exports were valued at US$25 million.[26]
Macau–Peru relations (Chinese: 澳门与秘鲁关系; pinyin: Àomén yǔ bìlǔ guānxì; Spanish: Relaciones Macao-Perú; Portuguese: Relações Macau-Peru) are also carried out under the larger context of relations with China and date back to the Portuguese era of the region.
Similar to neighbouring Hong Kong, the early history of relations took place in the context of the coolie trade and within Peru's relations with Portugal. From 1849 to 1857, a large amount of ships left for Callao, until the trade was suspended by the British and Chinese authorities. This meant that from 1860 onwards, a second wave of Chinese immigration to Peru took place with Macau serving as its exclusive starting point.[21] The last ship to leave to Peru was the Peruvian Lola, who left in July 1874 and reached Peru with 6 coolies dying in the journey.[27] A year before, the Overseas Ministry had prohibited the trade of coolies to Peru and Cuba due to the conditions they were subject to upon arrival.[28]
Peru is a recurring participant in the annual Macao International Trade and Investment Fair, where trade between both regions is promoted.[29][30]
Due to its official relations with mainland China, Peru de jure recognises Taiwan as part of China. However, since 1978, relations between Peru and the ROC are unofficially maintained through representative offices in Taipei and Lima.
High-level visits
High-level visits from China to Peru
CCP General Secretary and President Xi Jinping (2014)[31]
^ abcMemoria anual: Mensage al Congreso (in Spanish). Presidencia de la República. 1997. p. 588. Por la parte peruana visitaron China el presidente del Congreso de la República, ingeniero Víctor Joy Way, en abril del presente año, y el presidente del Consejo de Ministros, ingeniero Alberto Pandolfi, para asistir en representación del Perú a las ceremonias de transferencia de Hong Kong a la soberanía de China.
