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“新华社要把地球管起来，让全世界都能听到我们的声音。”这段豪言壮语发自新中国开国领袖毛泽东之口，时间是1955年。这一指示改变了我的人生轨迹。上世纪50年代高中毕业的我，抱着玫瑰色的梦想考上了上海戏剧学院编导系。当我正在跟着欧阳予倩院长见习导演杜鹏程的《夜走灵官峡》之际，学院领导找我谈话说，新华社来院招人，要把我选送到北京去深造。当年凡有志青年都自觉听从党召唤。我就从此走上了国际新闻战线，刻苦学习西班牙文和新闻业务，到上世纪70年代进入驻外记者行列，远涉重洋，去拉丁美洲的秘鲁赴任。
他乡遇良师益友
我兴冲冲地乘机过境巴基斯坦卡拉奇，途中又停机在太平洋小岛大溪地。当时，中国同世界各国交往的航线开辟很少。从大溪地起飞，还得绕道巴黎才能抵达秘鲁首都利马。虽然耽搁时间，但从旅游的角度看却十分理想。第一次出国，异乡他国一切对我来说都显得十分新鲜。
对驻外记者而言，熟悉驻在国各种政府和新闻机构乃至那里的人物、规矩，是首当其冲的必修课。交个同行做朋友更不失为使自己耳聪目慧的良策。经多次打交道，我结识了当地《新闻报》主编安东尼奥·费尔南德斯·阿尔赛先生。他1931年出生于北方海洋王国特鲁希略城，带有印第安人的血统，魁梧健硕，满头黑发，双目炯炯有神，显得纯朴憨厚。他自幼家道贫寒，靠卖报为生。凭着勤奋好学，成为优秀记者，25岁那年当选为全国记协主席，并先后在几家报社担任主编。他十分关注新中国的发展和变革，常常在各种报刊上发表文章介绍新中国的成就，引起当地华人社会的注意。
利马的唐人街上有个“通惠总局”，领导着340万华侨、华裔，占了秘鲁人口的12%，其规模和影响力仅次于巴西的圣保罗。唐人街里有鳞次栉比的中餐馆，还有中药铺，以及敬老院，为无依无靠的华僑老人解决晚年生计。逢年过节，唐人街里张灯结彩，龙腾虎跃，喜气洋洋，成为当地华人的盛大节日。安东尼奥对此既羡慕又同情。他通过生动的笔墨描述了中华文明在世界各地的传播，因而受到华人的尊敬和爱戴。利用外出采访时与他见面的机会，我邀请他来新华分社茶叙，有时也主动上门到他的办公室聊天。向他请教各种各样的问题。他会滔滔不绝地向我介绍秘鲁的各种名胜古迹和自然奇迹，如马丘比丘——失落的文明、纳斯卡的山坡巨画……对于国内外形势的看法当然是经常谈论的主题。他知无不言，善解人意，能热情主动地帮助你解决一些疑难。一来二往，他成了我的良师益友。有时，他还亲手做生鱼片（当地名菜叫做“鰓?切”）来招待客人。为了拓展拉美报道，新华社拟物色当地朋友来北京总社担纲西班牙文专家，安东尼奥自然成了分社邀请的对象。
周总理营救梅梅
1960年底，安东尼奥和一批拉丁美洲记者应邀访问中国，并受到毛泽东主席的接见。他爽快接受要他赴京担纲西文专家邀请的动力多半来自毛泽东在他心目中的崇高威望。1967年，他再次来到北京，先后在中央人民广播电台和新华社对外部工作。三年后的春天，周恩来总理接见并宴请一些在华工作的国际友人。安东尼奥一人应邀出席，没有带夫人。总理眼明心细。同他握手时随口问及。安东尼奥只好如实回答：因为刚出生的女儿梅梅患了败血症正在治疗，由夫人照顾在侧。后来梅梅的病情越来越严重，总理知道后吩咐有关单位务必全力抢救。当时梅梅需要反复输血。但血库里所存的能与梅梅血型匹配的血浆已快吿罄，解放军驻京部队某部指战员闻讯赶来，争先恐后为梅梅献血。从人民子弟兵的血管里流淌出来的滴滴鲜血，通过输血管缓缓进入梅梅体内，病人终于转危为安，不久就脱离险境。
安东尼奥曾对我说：“周总理是一位巨细无遗且事必躬亲的共和国好管家。在抢救梅梅的那些日子里，即使他日理万机，仍然念念不忘梅梅的病情，多次询问，直到他得知梅梅已经痊愈出院，才放下心来，并托人捎口信向我表示祝贺。”
40年前的9月9日，毛泽东与世长辞。小巧琳珑的梅梅身穿素服来到中国驻秘大使馆的灵堂参加吊唁，我随手拍下了一张珍贵的照片。
再过20年，我作为南京矿业公司的向导兼翻译重返秘鲁，希冀在安第斯山的金矿开发方面与台湾矿业公司合作。我在利马又见到梅梅和她的父亲安东尼奥。安东尼奥是特地从中国赶来为这一商业考察活动自告奋勇当顾问的。我们相约在他家聚会，相互热烈拥抱。梅梅此时已出落得亭亭玉立了。她在一家律师事务所工作。她说：“能在自己家再次见到孙叔叔真是意外的高兴！我愿意为中国矿业公司在秘鲁的经营活动充当法律顾问，以尽绵薄之力。因为我这条命也是中国人给的嘛！”这番话让在座的朋友听了十分感动。可见，他们父女俩真是十足的“亲华派”了。
穿针引线搭金桥
中国人民的真情厚谊使安东尼奥抱定宗旨，一定要为秘中两国的友好事业奋斗终生。正因为如此，他对新闻和外交以及写作都一丝不苟，兢兢业业，真正做到了“春蚕到死丝方尽，蜡炬成灰泪始干”。这是一位外国友人、“中国人民的老朋友”所发扬的精神，真是难能可贵！
1970年，安东尼奥接获家书，决定返回秘鲁家乡，前往特鲁希略探望病重的父亲。临行前，周总理邀请他一起喝茶为他送行。茶叙中，周总理明确表示，中方愿意扩大与秘鲁的交往，并提出中秘建交的原则，希望安东尼奥将此转达给秘鲁政要。为此，安东尼奥在途经香港时，特地通过秘鲁驻港领事将自己的身份和中方信息传递给秘鲁政府。当安东尼奥乘坐的客机抵达利马机场时，总统府的专车已经停靠在停机坪侧。他在家乡接到来自总统府的回函，明确答复：秘鲁政府同意中方提出的建交原则，表示愿意与中国建交。通过安东尼奥的穿针引线，中秘两国终于在1971年的11月2日宣布正式建立外交关系。为此，立下汗马功劳的安东尼奥回到北京，立刻被任命为秘鲁驻华商务代表处的顾问。通过多年的努力，中国已经成为秘鲁的第二大贸易伙伴和第二大出口国。双边贸易额早已超过20亿美元。
从1983年开始，安东尼奥受聘于新华社国际部。他在办公室里操作打字机，滴滴答答的打字声像一首首优美的乐曲不绝于耳，每篇稿子经过他的修改，总能成为好稿。这不仅是因为他的写作态度十分严谨，而且反映出他对于中国的热爱。尤其在报道中国的成就时，他总会流露出一种骄傲和快慰。平时，他会花很多业余时间注重培养西文翻译和新闻人才。他数十年如一日的敬业精神和忘我劳动的工作态度令周围的同事肃然起敬。他通过采访，撰写了大量有关中国建设成就和创造发明的稿件，发表在中国对外的西文杂志《今日中国》和《中国建设》以及秘鲁和西班牙的报刊上。在中秘建交40周年的2011年，由安东尼奥撰写，用中、英、西班牙三种文字编写的画册《到永恒的纪念碑——长城和马丘比丘》正式出版。在这本画册中，安东尼奥运用拉美人能够理解的方式形象地描述长城的宏伟壮丽。他说：“要想对这一浩大工程形成一个概念，不妨设想，顺着安第斯山脉那蜿蜒起伏的峰峦兴建一个从哥伦比亚绵延到巴塔哥尼亚，宽6至10米，高20米以上的巨大砖石工程……” 2016年11月，習近平主席先后访问秘鲁和智利两国。他于当月21日登上秘鲁国会讲坛发表题为《同舟共济、扬帆远航，共创中拉关系美好未来》的演讲，其中就特别提到新华社的秘鲁专家安东尼奥先生，赞扬他为中秘友好事业作出的贡献。可见凡是对为中国的建设和改革做出过贡献的外国友人，中国人民总是不会忘记的。安东尼奥孜孜不倦地追求秘鲁梦和中国梦，一心为中秘友好事业贡献毕生精力的伟大抱负，值得被两国人民传颂。他在中秘两国人民的心中留下了美好的音容笑貌。
安东尼奥在北戴河休养时，因与他的西文翻译胡维玲小姐双双坠入爱河而喜结连理。不久，又添了爱情结晶，产下了一个面色红润的英俊男宝。安东尼奥在退休之前就表示要在中国安度晚年，专家局特地为他在京东世纪城一个叫做春荫园的喷泉花园小区安排了一套宽敞住宅，让他安享天伦之乐。这个安乐窝既是他的爱巢，又是他的诗窝，也是他与亲朋好友的聚会场所。每当有拉美朋友来中国旅游访问时，总喜欢在他家中落脚。一席秘鲁餐，一包花生米，一箱青岛啤酒，就可以谈天说地，把酒临风。有时还欢声笑语，载歌载舞，直到东方发白。
2014年5月14日晚，安东尼奥在他的故乡特鲁希略安然仙逝。在走完人生83个春秋之后，他悄然离开这个他所挚爱的世界。生前他曾对我说，他死后愿将自己的骨灰，一半撒在颐和园的昆明湖，让他天天听到来湖游玩的中外游客的欢声笑语；另一半撒在安第斯山麓，让他枕着白雪皑皑的山头，瞭望世界人民最终过着幸福和平的生活。魂兮归来，我的朋友！
“The Xinhua News Agency should aim high so that the voice of China can reach all people in the world，” Chairman Mao proclaimed in 1955. His brave words changed my life after graduation from high school. When I was working with Ouyang Yuqian， the dean of Shanghai Theatre Academy at the time - as an intern director for the production of a film by Du Pengcheng - the faculty leader recommended me to join the Xinhua News Agency team in Beijing. That was the start of my journey in the international journalistic front. I joined the agency’s foreign correspondents team in the 1970s and spent many years in Peru， where I met Antonio.
After passing through Marachi， Pakistan and a quick transfer at Tahiti， the plane made a detour in Paris before finally landing in Lima， the capital city of Peru. The journey was time-consuming， but it was a lot of fun for someone who had never set his foot outside China.
Shortly after I settled down in the exotic land， I made several friends from the local journalist circle. One of them was Antonio， a muscular， good-natured man who was born in Trujillo into a poor family with Indian lineage. The hardworking man was elected chairman of Peru Journalists Association when he was only 25， and was the chief editor of several local newspapers. He always kept a watchful eye on the goings-on of China， writing articles for various newspapers to share the accomplishments of China with the locals as well as the Chinese community in Peru.
The administration office of the 3，400，000 Chinese that accounted for 12% of the population of Peru was located in the Chinatown in Lima. The Chinese life in the Chinatown， which had everything from Chinese restaurants and TCM shops to nursing homes for the aged， fascinated Antonio. Whenever I got a chance to meet him， I’d invite him to have a tea break in my office. The considerate， helpful and passionate man made my Peru life colorful and rewarding， and I did not hesitate when I was asked to recommend a local journalist to take the position of a Spanish expert in the Beijing headquarters of Xinhua News Agency. A huge fan of Chairman Mao， Antonio joined a Latin journalist delegation in the winter of 1960 on a trip to China. He started his work at the China National Radio and Xinhua News Agency in 1967. At a state banquet， Premier Zhou Enlai noticed that Antonio was there without bringing his wife. After learning that his wife had to stay at home to take care of their sick baby girl who was suffering from sepsis， the premier did what he could to save the girl’s life. “Premier Zhou was the best ‘housekeeper’ of the New China，” Antonio recalled with affection.
During my revisit to Peru in the 1990s as the local guide and interpreter of a delegation from Nanjing Mining Company， I met Antonio and his beaul daughter who was then working in a law firm. The girl volunteered to act as the legal adviser for the company’s operation in Peru. “I will always remember that Chinese people saved my life，” said the girl.
Antonio went back to Peru to see his sick father in his hometown in 1970. His meeting with Premier Zhou Enlai before leaving turned out to be a cornerstone in the diplomatic relation between China and Peru. When transferring in Hong Kong， Antonio forwarded the information about China’s willingness in intensifying China-Peru relation through the Peru Consulate in Hong Kong to the Peru government. Antonio’s active role as a go-between contributed a lot to the formal establishment of China-Peru diplomatic relation on November 2， 1971. Today， China is the second largest trade partner and export destination of Peru. Bilateral trade volume of the two countries has topped two billion USD.
Antonio joined the International Department of Xinhua News Agency in 1983. In ， published in 2011 in celebration of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries， Antonio expressed his love and respect for China and the Chinese people by comparing the Great Wall to the 15th-century Inca citadel that was declared a Peruvian Historic Sanctuary in 1981 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.
Antonio’s ‘China Dream’ reached its second climax in Beidaihe， where he fell in love with his interpreter. The two tied the knot， had an adorable son， and spent many happy years in their apartment in Beijing.
Antonio passed away at the age of 83 in his hometown on May 14， 2014. “I hope half of my ashes will rest peace in the Kunming Lake of the Summer Palace in Beijing and half will be scattered on the Andes Mountains，” he said to me.
他乡遇良师益友
我兴冲冲地乘机过境巴基斯坦卡拉奇，途中又停机在太平洋小岛大溪地。当时，中国同世界各国交往的航线开辟很少。从大溪地起飞，还得绕道巴黎才能抵达秘鲁首都利马。虽然耽搁时间，但从旅游的角度看却十分理想。第一次出国，异乡他国一切对我来说都显得十分新鲜。
对驻外记者而言，熟悉驻在国各种政府和新闻机构乃至那里的人物、规矩，是首当其冲的必修课。交个同行做朋友更不失为使自己耳聪目慧的良策。经多次打交道，我结识了当地《新闻报》主编安东尼奥·费尔南德斯·阿尔赛先生。他1931年出生于北方海洋王国特鲁希略城，带有印第安人的血统，魁梧健硕，满头黑发，双目炯炯有神，显得纯朴憨厚。他自幼家道贫寒，靠卖报为生。凭着勤奋好学，成为优秀记者，25岁那年当选为全国记协主席，并先后在几家报社担任主编。他十分关注新中国的发展和变革，常常在各种报刊上发表文章介绍新中国的成就，引起当地华人社会的注意。
利马的唐人街上有个“通惠总局”，领导着340万华侨、华裔，占了秘鲁人口的12%，其规模和影响力仅次于巴西的圣保罗。唐人街里有鳞次栉比的中餐馆，还有中药铺，以及敬老院，为无依无靠的华僑老人解决晚年生计。逢年过节，唐人街里张灯结彩，龙腾虎跃，喜气洋洋，成为当地华人的盛大节日。安东尼奥对此既羡慕又同情。他通过生动的笔墨描述了中华文明在世界各地的传播，因而受到华人的尊敬和爱戴。利用外出采访时与他见面的机会，我邀请他来新华分社茶叙，有时也主动上门到他的办公室聊天。向他请教各种各样的问题。他会滔滔不绝地向我介绍秘鲁的各种名胜古迹和自然奇迹，如马丘比丘——失落的文明、纳斯卡的山坡巨画……对于国内外形势的看法当然是经常谈论的主题。他知无不言，善解人意，能热情主动地帮助你解决一些疑难。一来二往，他成了我的良师益友。有时，他还亲手做生鱼片（当地名菜叫做“鰓?切”）来招待客人。为了拓展拉美报道，新华社拟物色当地朋友来北京总社担纲西班牙文专家，安东尼奥自然成了分社邀请的对象。
周总理营救梅梅
1960年底，安东尼奥和一批拉丁美洲记者应邀访问中国，并受到毛泽东主席的接见。他爽快接受要他赴京担纲西文专家邀请的动力多半来自毛泽东在他心目中的崇高威望。1967年，他再次来到北京，先后在中央人民广播电台和新华社对外部工作。三年后的春天，周恩来总理接见并宴请一些在华工作的国际友人。安东尼奥一人应邀出席，没有带夫人。总理眼明心细。同他握手时随口问及。安东尼奥只好如实回答：因为刚出生的女儿梅梅患了败血症正在治疗，由夫人照顾在侧。后来梅梅的病情越来越严重，总理知道后吩咐有关单位务必全力抢救。当时梅梅需要反复输血。但血库里所存的能与梅梅血型匹配的血浆已快吿罄，解放军驻京部队某部指战员闻讯赶来，争先恐后为梅梅献血。从人民子弟兵的血管里流淌出来的滴滴鲜血，通过输血管缓缓进入梅梅体内，病人终于转危为安，不久就脱离险境。
安东尼奥曾对我说：“周总理是一位巨细无遗且事必躬亲的共和国好管家。在抢救梅梅的那些日子里，即使他日理万机，仍然念念不忘梅梅的病情，多次询问，直到他得知梅梅已经痊愈出院，才放下心来，并托人捎口信向我表示祝贺。”
40年前的9月9日，毛泽东与世长辞。小巧琳珑的梅梅身穿素服来到中国驻秘大使馆的灵堂参加吊唁，我随手拍下了一张珍贵的照片。
再过20年，我作为南京矿业公司的向导兼翻译重返秘鲁，希冀在安第斯山的金矿开发方面与台湾矿业公司合作。我在利马又见到梅梅和她的父亲安东尼奥。安东尼奥是特地从中国赶来为这一商业考察活动自告奋勇当顾问的。我们相约在他家聚会，相互热烈拥抱。梅梅此时已出落得亭亭玉立了。她在一家律师事务所工作。她说：“能在自己家再次见到孙叔叔真是意外的高兴！我愿意为中国矿业公司在秘鲁的经营活动充当法律顾问，以尽绵薄之力。因为我这条命也是中国人给的嘛！”这番话让在座的朋友听了十分感动。可见，他们父女俩真是十足的“亲华派”了。
穿针引线搭金桥
中国人民的真情厚谊使安东尼奥抱定宗旨，一定要为秘中两国的友好事业奋斗终生。正因为如此，他对新闻和外交以及写作都一丝不苟，兢兢业业，真正做到了“春蚕到死丝方尽，蜡炬成灰泪始干”。这是一位外国友人、“中国人民的老朋友”所发扬的精神，真是难能可贵！
1970年，安东尼奥接获家书，决定返回秘鲁家乡，前往特鲁希略探望病重的父亲。临行前，周总理邀请他一起喝茶为他送行。茶叙中，周总理明确表示，中方愿意扩大与秘鲁的交往，并提出中秘建交的原则，希望安东尼奥将此转达给秘鲁政要。为此，安东尼奥在途经香港时，特地通过秘鲁驻港领事将自己的身份和中方信息传递给秘鲁政府。当安东尼奥乘坐的客机抵达利马机场时，总统府的专车已经停靠在停机坪侧。他在家乡接到来自总统府的回函，明确答复：秘鲁政府同意中方提出的建交原则，表示愿意与中国建交。通过安东尼奥的穿针引线，中秘两国终于在1971年的11月2日宣布正式建立外交关系。为此，立下汗马功劳的安东尼奥回到北京，立刻被任命为秘鲁驻华商务代表处的顾问。通过多年的努力，中国已经成为秘鲁的第二大贸易伙伴和第二大出口国。双边贸易额早已超过20亿美元。
从1983年开始，安东尼奥受聘于新华社国际部。他在办公室里操作打字机，滴滴答答的打字声像一首首优美的乐曲不绝于耳，每篇稿子经过他的修改，总能成为好稿。这不仅是因为他的写作态度十分严谨，而且反映出他对于中国的热爱。尤其在报道中国的成就时，他总会流露出一种骄傲和快慰。平时，他会花很多业余时间注重培养西文翻译和新闻人才。他数十年如一日的敬业精神和忘我劳动的工作态度令周围的同事肃然起敬。他通过采访，撰写了大量有关中国建设成就和创造发明的稿件，发表在中国对外的西文杂志《今日中国》和《中国建设》以及秘鲁和西班牙的报刊上。在中秘建交40周年的2011年，由安东尼奥撰写，用中、英、西班牙三种文字编写的画册《到永恒的纪念碑——长城和马丘比丘》正式出版。在这本画册中，安东尼奥运用拉美人能够理解的方式形象地描述长城的宏伟壮丽。他说：“要想对这一浩大工程形成一个概念，不妨设想，顺着安第斯山脉那蜿蜒起伏的峰峦兴建一个从哥伦比亚绵延到巴塔哥尼亚，宽6至10米，高20米以上的巨大砖石工程……” 2016年11月，習近平主席先后访问秘鲁和智利两国。他于当月21日登上秘鲁国会讲坛发表题为《同舟共济、扬帆远航，共创中拉关系美好未来》的演讲，其中就特别提到新华社的秘鲁专家安东尼奥先生，赞扬他为中秘友好事业作出的贡献。可见凡是对为中国的建设和改革做出过贡献的外国友人，中国人民总是不会忘记的。安东尼奥孜孜不倦地追求秘鲁梦和中国梦，一心为中秘友好事业贡献毕生精力的伟大抱负，值得被两国人民传颂。他在中秘两国人民的心中留下了美好的音容笑貌。
安东尼奥在北戴河休养时，因与他的西文翻译胡维玲小姐双双坠入爱河而喜结连理。不久，又添了爱情结晶，产下了一个面色红润的英俊男宝。安东尼奥在退休之前就表示要在中国安度晚年，专家局特地为他在京东世纪城一个叫做春荫园的喷泉花园小区安排了一套宽敞住宅，让他安享天伦之乐。这个安乐窝既是他的爱巢，又是他的诗窝，也是他与亲朋好友的聚会场所。每当有拉美朋友来中国旅游访问时，总喜欢在他家中落脚。一席秘鲁餐，一包花生米，一箱青岛啤酒，就可以谈天说地，把酒临风。有时还欢声笑语，载歌载舞，直到东方发白。
2014年5月14日晚，安东尼奥在他的故乡特鲁希略安然仙逝。在走完人生83个春秋之后，他悄然离开这个他所挚爱的世界。生前他曾对我说，他死后愿将自己的骨灰，一半撒在颐和园的昆明湖，让他天天听到来湖游玩的中外游客的欢声笑语；另一半撒在安第斯山麓，让他枕着白雪皑皑的山头，瞭望世界人民最终过着幸福和平的生活。魂兮归来，我的朋友！
“The Xinhua News Agency should aim high so that the voice of China can reach all people in the world，” Chairman Mao proclaimed in 1955. His brave words changed my life after graduation from high school. When I was working with Ouyang Yuqian， the dean of Shanghai Theatre Academy at the time - as an intern director for the production of a film by Du Pengcheng - the faculty leader recommended me to join the Xinhua News Agency team in Beijing. That was the start of my journey in the international journalistic front. I joined the agency’s foreign correspondents team in the 1970s and spent many years in Peru， where I met Antonio.
After passing through Marachi， Pakistan and a quick transfer at Tahiti， the plane made a detour in Paris before finally landing in Lima， the capital city of Peru. The journey was time-consuming， but it was a lot of fun for someone who had never set his foot outside China.
Shortly after I settled down in the exotic land， I made several friends from the local journalist circle. One of them was Antonio， a muscular， good-natured man who was born in Trujillo into a poor family with Indian lineage. The hardworking man was elected chairman of Peru Journalists Association when he was only 25， and was the chief editor of several local newspapers. He always kept a watchful eye on the goings-on of China， writing articles for various newspapers to share the accomplishments of China with the locals as well as the Chinese community in Peru.
The administration office of the 3，400，000 Chinese that accounted for 12% of the population of Peru was located in the Chinatown in Lima. The Chinese life in the Chinatown， which had everything from Chinese restaurants and TCM shops to nursing homes for the aged， fascinated Antonio. Whenever I got a chance to meet him， I’d invite him to have a tea break in my office. The considerate， helpful and passionate man made my Peru life colorful and rewarding， and I did not hesitate when I was asked to recommend a local journalist to take the position of a Spanish expert in the Beijing headquarters of Xinhua News Agency. A huge fan of Chairman Mao， Antonio joined a Latin journalist delegation in the winter of 1960 on a trip to China. He started his work at the China National Radio and Xinhua News Agency in 1967. At a state banquet， Premier Zhou Enlai noticed that Antonio was there without bringing his wife. After learning that his wife had to stay at home to take care of their sick baby girl who was suffering from sepsis， the premier did what he could to save the girl’s life. “Premier Zhou was the best ‘housekeeper’ of the New China，” Antonio recalled with affection.
During my revisit to Peru in the 1990s as the local guide and interpreter of a delegation from Nanjing Mining Company， I met Antonio and his beaul daughter who was then working in a law firm. The girl volunteered to act as the legal adviser for the company’s operation in Peru. “I will always remember that Chinese people saved my life，” said the girl.
Antonio went back to Peru to see his sick father in his hometown in 1970. His meeting with Premier Zhou Enlai before leaving turned out to be a cornerstone in the diplomatic relation between China and Peru. When transferring in Hong Kong， Antonio forwarded the information about China’s willingness in intensifying China-Peru relation through the Peru Consulate in Hong Kong to the Peru government. Antonio’s active role as a go-between contributed a lot to the formal establishment of China-Peru diplomatic relation on November 2， 1971. Today， China is the second largest trade partner and export destination of Peru. Bilateral trade volume of the two countries has topped two billion USD.
Antonio joined the International Department of Xinhua News Agency in 1983. In ， published in 2011 in celebration of the establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries， Antonio expressed his love and respect for China and the Chinese people by comparing the Great Wall to the 15th-century Inca citadel that was declared a Peruvian Historic Sanctuary in 1981 and a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1983.
Antonio’s ‘China Dream’ reached its second climax in Beidaihe， where he fell in love with his interpreter. The two tied the knot， had an adorable son， and spent many happy years in their apartment in Beijing.
Antonio passed away at the age of 83 in his hometown on May 14， 2014. “I hope half of my ashes will rest peace in the Kunming Lake of the Summer Palace in Beijing and half will be scattered on the Andes Mountains，” he said to me.