Looking into China: A Mexican sinologist's journey with China

"I have dedicated my entire life to China," said Flora Botton Beja, a 93-year-old Mexican sinologist, to a CGTN stringer.

In 1963, Flora was awarded a UNESCO scholarship to pursue a Master's degree in Oriental Studies at El Colegio de México. This marked the beginning of her lifelong bond with Chinese culture – one that she would never break. Recalling her first visit to China in 1975, she described the overwhelming sense of wonder as the country she had only known from books came to life. It felt like a dream, an achievement she had never imagined possible. In the late 1980s, she traveled deep into various Chinese cities, conducting face-to-face interviews with ordinary families to feel and document the country's social transformation.

Over the decades, she has witnessed China's earth-shattering development and change. Yet, she has always believed that Chinese people are not mysterious; like Mexicans, they deeply value family and relationships. In 2023, she was honored with the Outstanding Achievement Award at the inaugural Orchid Awards for her lifelong contributions to China-Mexico cultural exchanges. This is a story of a companion's journey between a scholar and a nation, spanning over half a century.

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