Image of the Post-revolutionary China in the Writings of the Argentinean Travelers between 1949-1966

Abstract

China’s image in the eyes of western countries usually oscillates between extreme poles, such as the civilized people, owners of an ancient culture and an underdeveloped country; a revolutionary horizon and a despotic authoritarian government. In this sense, studies that attempt to associate China with Latin America have paid little attention to the modern configuration of China’s image in Spanish-speaking countries during the first decade after the founding of the People’s Republic of China, let alone the specific actors in this process. Beginning in the 1950s, the Beijing government initiated a diplomatic policy under which a series of intellectuals from Latin America, Africa and, to a lesser extent, Europe were invited to China. Upon arrival, many of them published articles, reviews and chronicle books to share their experiences. This paper analyzes the representation of the “New China” through articles published in the magazines between 1949 and 1966 by Argentinean intellectuals who had visited China. Through their narratives, a discourse that opposes European orientalism is constructed, which also forms the first Latin American reception of Chinese revolutions.