On June 10, 2026, the PUCP China–Latin America Academic Network was officially launched at the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Peru. During the event, the initiative was presented along with its objectives, main areas of work, and academic outlook, highlighting its purpose of bringing together students and alumni interested in the study of China and its links with Latin America and Peru.
The event also included a space for dialogue and exchange with Zhao Xiaoming, Cultural Counsellor of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Peru, who welcomed the creation of the Network and underscored its potential to strengthen academic ties and mutual understanding between China, Peru, and Latin America.
The launch took place through an official presentation ceremony of the PUCP China–Latin America Academic Network. During the event, the coordinators outlined the initiative’s objectives and main lines of work, emphasizing the importance of advancing China studies from an academic, interdisciplinary, and Latin American perspective.
The launch provided an opportunity to formally introduce the coordinating team and to foster an exchange between members of the Network and the Cultural Counsellor of the Embassy, who expressed interest in the various research topics proposed and conveyed his willingness to support the development of future research initiatives.
The event was attended by Dr. Patricia Castro, sinologist and faculty member of the PUCP School of Social Sciences; Mirka Prieto Medrano, General Coordinator of the PUCP China–Latin America Academic Network; Gabriela Corazao Bejar, General Alumni Coordinator; Ibeeth Dalí Medina Silva, General Student Coordinator; and the founding members of the Network, composed of PUCP students and alumni.
A network to strengthen China studies
The PUCP China–Latin America Academic Network was created in response to the growing interest among PUCP students and alumni in the study of China and its relations with Latin America and Peru. In a context in which China plays an increasingly important role in economic, political, technological, and cultural affairs at both the global and regional levels, the initiative seeks to promote research, knowledge exchange, and the development of academic networks that contribute to a deeper, more critical, and interdisciplinary understanding of relations between China, Latin America, and Peru.
The Network aims to become a space for encounter, research, and academic exchange for students and alumni interested in this field. It also seeks to make visible the growing interest within the PUCP community in China studies, strengthen an interdisciplinary academic network, and generate opportunities for cooperation with relevant stakeholders, such as the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in Peru, in order to promote future activities related to training, research, and academic dialogue.
Among the next steps planned are the incorporation of new PUCP student and alumni members; the organization of seminars, panel discussions, and specialized academic activities; the development of research projects and publications on China and Latin America; the strengthening of ties with national and international academic institutions dedicated to China and Asia-Pacific studies; the consolidation of the Network as a permanent space for training and academic exchange; and the participation of its members in national and international conferences, representing both the Network and PUCP.
The creation of the PUCP China–Latin America Academic Network represents an opportunity to strengthen the presence of PUCP students and alumni in research spaces focused on China and the Asia-Pacific region. It also seeks to contribute to the development of a specialized academic community that promotes critical, interdisciplinary, and rigorous analysis of relations between China, Latin America, and Peru.
