Adolfo Herrera, with 30 years of 'China love knot'

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-11-19 16:17

CARACAS -- Amid the warm afternoon sunshine and the aroma of green tea at his Caracas home, Adolfo Herrera, the former chief of the Journalism School of the Venezuela Central University and co-founder of the Venezuela-China Friendship Association, told Xinhua about his 30 years of "China love knot".

Before Venezuela and China established diplomatic ties in 1974,Herrera had helped begin the Sino-Venezuelan Friendship Association, and put in much effort to help the two nations establish diplomatic ties.

"The Venezuelan president then was Rafael Caledera, who used to be my teacher at the Venezuela Central University," Herrera said with a smile. "Every time when I had a chance to talk to him, I asked him: 'Mr. President, when do you plan to establish ties with China?' Until one day he told me that he had instructed the foreign minister to go at it."

In his memory, Herrera had this "glory of life", which was a surprise visit paid by Ling Qing, the first Chinese ambassador to Venezuela. Ling visited Herrera immediately after taking office to thank him for his efforts in the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries.

"He held my hand and said to me: 'You'll be the first one whom I invite to visit China,'" Herrera recalled.

Herrera and his family have visited China many times since the 1970s. They have felt the hospitality of the Chinese people and have seen the big changes in the country.

"The new economic and social development mode that China has been taking in the past 30 years has greatly improved Chinese people's livelihood and promote further development," Herrera said. He thinks other developing nations, including Venezuela, have a lot to learn from China's 30 years of experience of reform and opening-up.

Herrera, now over 70, is still actively pushing university and enterprise exchanges between the two countries. His daughter, Marianela, influenced by her father's "China love knot," is a herbal acupuncturist and has been formally trained in China. Marianela's two youngest children are also learning Chinese with a Chinese tutor. Herrera's 30 years of "China love knot" seems to have successors.