In advancing Sino-Mexican relations, the Consulate General of Mexico in Guangzhou, headed by Consul General Carlos I. Giralt-Cabrales, has made outstanding contributions. As Mr. Giralt's term is coming to an end, Outlook New Era invited him for an exclusive interview to share his stories and insights during his six years in Guangzhou.

（Mr. Carlos Giralt, Mexican Consul General in Guangzhou, speaks exclusively to Outlook New Era . ）

Mexican culture: a combination of past, present, and future

Mexico, like China, has a long and glorious history, and both are unique among human civilizations. It was the birthplace of the well-known Olmec, Toltec, Teotihuacan, Zapotec, Mayan, and Aztec cultures. In particular, the Aztec culture developed into an empire, the largest state in North America during the pre-Columbian era. The Aztec pyramids, which are important cultural monuments in Mexico, are known for their grandeur, unique architectural style, and mysteries. These human civilizations had landmark achievements in city building, architecture, astronomical studies, mathematics, and armies.

“We are very proud of our long and powerful history. Our culture is older than 3,000 years, and along the way, we have had the Olmec, Toltec, Mayas, Aztec, Teotihuacan, and other cultures that have enriched our pre-Columbian, indigenous past,” Mr. Giralt introduced Mexico's history and culture. He shared that Mexico is a colorful nation. It is not only an industrial country but also a combination of history and culture of the past, present, and future. He highlighted that Mexico is a very warm country with welcoming people, “We appreciate very much our friendship with other peoples and other nations.” Seeing Mexicans as hardworking and brave as the Chinese people, he believes that Mexico will have a bright future even greater than today.

In 2010, Mexican cuisine became an addition to UNESCO's intangible heritage list. Mexican food culture is world-famous for tortilla chips, burritos, avocado, tequila, among others. Mexicans are connoisseurs of cuisine. Aside from gastronomy, the country also has unique urban scenery. “We have a group of cities that we call ‘magical towns’. They are colonial cities that are kept in good shape, where you can walk and feel two hundred, three hundred, five hundred years of history right there in the city and also go to a modern hotel and enjoy a nice evening,” Mr. Giralt described the place. When it comes to the best places to visit, he shared his personal recommendations, “ [...] colonial cities like Campeche, San Miguel de Allende, Guanajuato, and of course, the ocean sites. The beautiful beaches of Mexico, particularly in the state of Quintana Roo, are the most beautiful natural places in the world — combining with modern resorts, modern hotels, good food, good services.”

Career as a diplomat: China and Mexico are at the best time in the history of relations

Born in Mexico City, Consul General Giralt has Worked in the Mexican Ministry of Foreign Affairs since 1983, and officially joined the Foreign Service in April 1991. After 26 years, he was appointed by the President of Mexico to the rank of Ambassador in 2017. He worked as a diplomat in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; Sacramento, California; and San Bernardino, California. In 2016, he was appointed as Mexico's Consul General in Guangzhou. After completing his term in Guangzhou in late June this year, he will relocate to Little Rock, Arkansas, USA, to serve in the same capacity.

Talking about the beginnings and motivation in pursuing a career in diplomacy, Mr. Giralt admits with a smile that, initially, he just wanted “a part-time job”. After some job transfers, in 1990, he took the national test to join the diplomatic service. In the following year, he became a member of the Mexican Foreign Service. That year was a significant turning point in his life. “It was at [that] moment when I knew that I wanted to do this, that I was hooked, to express it in a way, with the international affairs. And since then, I have been in a very exciting, rewarding career. At the same time, sometimes you have to sacrifice a few personal issues. It is part of this very exciting job. So I can not say that, originally, I wanted to be a diplomat, but once I decided to go there, I became in love with what I do and my career.”

For Mr. Giralt, coming to Guangzhou to serve as Consul General has been both challenging and rewarding. Earlier in his career, he worked primarily in the United States where the Consulate focuses on serving large Mexican communities. The biggest difference he noticed was that the size of the Mexican community in Guangzhou is much smaller than those in the United States. Meanwhile, he realized the important role China plays in international affairs, so he needed to pay more attention to economic and political relations.

During his six years in Guangzhou, the Consul General has visited many government officials from different places and levels, as well as participated in hundreds of promotional activities in trade, commerce, cultural exchanges, and cultural promotion — all of which greatly improved the quality of the political dialogue with the local governments. He said, “We believe that we want to be better known in China, as we also recognize that in Mexico, we need to know [China better]. I believe that we attend successfully become a bridge between the Chinese people and the Mexican people, [not only] to bring them together and to promote cultural [and] economic exchanges, but also to know each other better. I always believe that the more we know each other, the better we will treat each other. That is particularly true between Mexico and China. Two nations that are geographically apart, in the end, we are not that different, and we can work well together.”

Aside from valuing family ties and industriousness, the Mexican and Chinese peoples share something in common: “We love food. We are foodies [...] We share something with the Cantonese people. If you start talking to a Cantonese, after fifteen minutes, you'll start talking about food. The same happens in Mexico,” Mr. Giralt said.

Mexico and China have close trade relations. The Consul General believes that the two countries are in the midst of the flourishing period in their bilateral relationships. He said that the Free Trade Agreement has expanded opportunities for two-way commercial activities, such as parts production and job creation.

There is still an imbalance in trade between China and Mexico, which requires joint efforts. “I believe that the way to go is to promote more direct foreign investments from China into Mexico,” the Consulate chief said.

Face with the pandemic, he stated that Mexico remembers and is grateful for China's assistance, which demonstrate their profound friendship. He believes that, after the pandemic, both sides will have more in-depth economic and cultural exchanges. When asked what role media outlets like Outlook New Era play, he said that media's participation is vital in advancing bilateral relations, particularly by letting people know more about the other country. “I am very grateful to take this opportunity to share these ideas, and I would like to invite all of you to know more about Mexico, to visit Mexico, to know about the Mexican culture, and to invest in Mexico if possible.”

（The Pyramid of the Sun is the largest building in Teotihuacan, and one of the largest in Mesoamerica.）

Life in China: Cantonese food and long walks along the river

Guangzhou is traditionally known for its cultural diversity, openness, and vibrant city charm. Mr. Giralt told Outlook New Era that his life in Guangzhou has always been comfortable. Despite the pandemic has brought some restrictions, in general, Guangzhou remains to be a safe city with a good quality of life and many cultural landmarks to explore and enjoy. “I will miss the good Cantonese food,” Mr. Giralt regretfully said, “My wife and I were talking the other day that wherever we go, we will feel perhaps a little bit of frustration because we are sure that we won't have the same quality of good Cantonese food [that we] can get here.” As a Consul General, he does not have too much spare time, but whenever he can, he likes to take long walks with his wife along the river and visit some places. “I do a little bit of exercise whenever the weather permits. We walk upside and it is very rewarding for us.”

Time flies when Mr. Giralt devotes himself to his work. He shared two most unforgettable moments during his six-year tenure in Guangzhou. One was the Mexican Independence Day celebration at the Consulate in 2019 which has been subsequently canceled due to the pandemic. In those days, the Mexican communities were larger. Mr. Giralt expressed gratitude to all of his colleagues at the Consulate, both Mexican and locals. They worked hard to make the event successful, as well as shared a great moment together. Another defining moment was when Mexican authorities promoted him to the rank of Ambassador in 2017. For him: “That was an important achievement in my diplomatic career.”

A Consul General's busy work schedule does not allow Mr. Giralt to travel to different places with his family as much as he would like to do. When asked which places he would like to visit if given a chance, he said it is difficult to predict the future, “I have learned not to put too much emphasis on what you will do in three years, and [instead] to comply and finish whatever you have to do in the immediate future.” In the near future, he hopes to get to know the people at his new post in Little Rock, Arkansas, serve the Mexican communities, and continue to learn about international affairs.

Looking back on his six years in China, Mr. Giralt reflected, “[N] ow that I'm about to conclude almost six years as the Consul General [of] Mexico in China, I am very happy to have the opportunity to work and live these years in China. It has been a very important and rewarding personal and professional experience. Although I don't pretend to know China, I am at least a little bit less ignorant about this big impressive country [than] when I came here, so I will keep learning about China for the rest of my life because I know that this country will be a very important player in the international arena.”

We, in the Outlook New Era, feel the dedication and diligence of the Mexican people, as well as the warmth and kindness of Consul General Giralt. The close ties between the Consulate General of Mexico in Guangzhou and the local government and people reflect the deep Sino-Mexican friendship. Indeed, the tree of friendship that has been nurtured for half a century is already flourishing and fruitful, and it will be evergreen in the future.

（The Consulate General of Mexico in Guangzhou showcased their specialties at the MIKTA Festival on November 17, 2021.）

Consul General Giralt (middle) with Mr. Cang Feng, Deputy Director General of the Foreign Affairs Office of the People's Government of Guangdong Province (right); and Mr. Lei Weiju, Deputy Director of the Foreign Affairs Office of the Guangzhou Municipal Government (left) at the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Mexico

(OUTLOOK NEW ERA)