Introducing 'Ecuador's Uniqueness' to China

ByYe Shan December 1, 2014
In June 2009, Mariella Molina assumed her post as Ecuador's Consul General in Guangzhou. [Women of China English Monthly/Zhang Jiamin]

Five years ago, Ecuador's government decided to establish consulates in Shanghai and Guangzhou. That decision showed that Ecuador was determined to strengthen diplomatic relations with China, and that Ecuadorian officials were confident they would increase their national investments in and exports to China. In June 2009, Mariella Molina assumed her post as Ecuador's Consul General in Guangzhou. She says Guangzhou is a place where "tradition and modernization are perfectly mixed." As each day passes, her love for the city grows deeper.

"I have been living in Guangzhou for many years. Here, traditional Chinese culture is well preserved, from daily cuisine to the dialect, from the buildings to the streets, and from the local opera to the fine art galleries," says Molina. "Guangzhou is a modern city, equipped with the most advanced infrastructure, inhabited by people (from different nations, who are) of different colors, and where the locals are friendly and open-minded."

Molina arrived in Guangzhou, capital of southern China's Guangdong Province, in 2005. In June this year, Molina was named dean of the consular corps of Guangdong Province, because of her longevity in the diplomatic corps in the province. (The consular corps consists of consuls general from 51 countries.)

What are her responsibilities? "To coordinate communications and cooperation between the consular corps and the local authorities. in all required fields. What I would like to do is to help hold exchanges/activities that meet the common interests of both the consular corps and the local authorities," Molina says.

All of the consulates share the key mission of "tightening relations between China, South China in particular, and the countries we represent. Undoubtedly, business and trade are areas of concern. In addition, there is an increasing demand for cooperation in fields such as culture, education and tourism," she says.

Molina has helped Ecuadorians make substantial progress in investing in and exporting goods to China. "For example, banana exports to China, from January to July this year, achieved a year-on-year increase of 726 percent, and the increase in shrimp exports was 262 percent," she says.

"Thanks to Ecuador's geographic location, our country has top-quality soil for planting crops and fruits, and it has one of the world's best sea areas for shrimp and other fishery production. Therefore, Ecuador is the largest banana exporter, and the second-largest canned-tuna exporter, in the world."

Molina hopes to introduce "Ecuador's uniqueness," through exports of other commodities, to Chinese. "Ecuadorians often say we have ‘four world-level sceneries' in our country. First, we have the Andes (mountains) in the middle of the country, where we grow the world's most beautiful roses. Second, we have a long coastline in the west, which connects us to the Pacific Ocean and provides us with a 'diving paradise' for diving lovers and tourists, who visit our country to watch whales and/or have the world's best shrimp and other seafood. Third, we have the Amazon region in the east, where indigenous people keep their traditions and language... And last, what I would like to recommend the most is the Galapagos Islands, which inspired Charles Darwin, the world-famous scientist, to formulate the theory of evolution," she says.

Molina says it is a great honor to work for, and speak on behalf of, her country when she lives abroad. The government of current President, Rafael Correa, encourages women to occupy senior positions in its government; this is why almost 50 percent of the ministerial office (cabinet) of the current government is occupied by women. For female politicians, it is not easy working in the political field, which is still male dominated. However, the macro environment is changing, and we are welcoming more and more women in diplomatic circles," Molina says.

She has visited many cities in Guangdong Province over the years. She was impressed by the technological innovation in Shenzhen, the amicable environment in Zhuhai, and the dynamic economic development in both Zhongshan and Foshan. But she has continued to love Guangzhou the most. "I love the friendly locals and the delicious foods. During weekends, my husband and I often take our kids to nice parks in the downtown, or to natural reserves in the suburbs, so they will have opportunities to get close to nature."

Molina says when she has to return to Ecuador, she will take the concept of "living a happy life in Guangzhou" with her. (That concept reflects the municipal government's commitment to providing residents with good employment, good residential communities, good medical care and good infrastructure, so they will live happily in the city.)

(Source: Women of China English Monthly December 2014 Issue)
 

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