In late 1978, the People's Republic of China began a radical process of economic modernization internationally known as Reform and Opening-up policyThat experiment, still ongoing, commemorated four decades since it began in December 2018, positioning China as the world's leading economy (IMF and the WBG), amid an environment of social transformation and improvements in its inhabitants' quality of life, with an increasingly prominent presence in 21st-century international dynamics. On the other hand, a few years earlier in 1974, at the University of Los Andes (ULA), Mérida - Venezuela, the study and teaching of Chinese history began at the School of History of the Faculty of Humanities and Education. Since then, several generations of Venezuelans have had the opportunity to approach this ancient culture guided by a group of professors and researchers through courses, seminars, conferences, forums and other spaces for academic and cultural encounters, which prepared the solid foundations of a project that we are presenting to you today. Romer Cornejo, Ismael Cejas Armas, Hernán Lucena Molero, Elías Capriles and José Manuel Briceño Guerrero are just five names to whom we owe public recognition as academics for these early efforts.

The foundation in 1995 of the Asia and Africa Studies Group (GEAA, by its acronym in Spanish), by professors Hernán Lucena Molero, Ismael Cejas Armas, Trino Borges and Elías Capriles, attached to the Department of Universal History of the School of History, which by decision approved by the Council of Scientific, Humanistic and Technological Development of the ULA, became in 2001 the Center for the Study of Africa, Asia, and Latin American and Caribbean Diasporas "Dr. José Manuel Briceño Monzillo". Since then, research, teaching and community engagement have been a fundamental pillar of this Academic Unit of the University of Los Andes, with China being one of the main case studies throughout all these years.

The Venezuelan Association for Chinese Studies (AVECH) , by its acronym in Spanish) 委内瑞拉中国研究会, is a non-profit civil association, with no political or religious affiliations. Its main purpose is to exchange academic and cultural experiences among its members, collaborate with national and international institutions of higher education to train academic and research personnel, strengthen a permanent policy of publications, and exchange information while promoting studies on the political, economic, social, scientific-technological, and cultural developments of China in Venezuela. AVECH will be composed of individuals with a recognized academic and professional background, without excluding national specialists living abroad. Similarly, it will sponsor meetings among its members at regional and national level, as well as with special figures for the purpose of exchanging ideas, experiences, opinions and debate about China studies.

There are still many tasks that have yet to begin; however, among the initial objectives we have set for ourselves are: a) Promoting academic-cultural exchange with the People's Republic of China through the celebration of cultural weeks and other related events; b) Fostering studies on China through the exchange of experiences with higher academic institutions in Venezuela and internationally; c) Encouraging Sino-Venezuelan cultural relations; d) Strengthening institutional ties with national and international organizations that can contribute to the research, publication and dissemination of studies on China in Venezuela; e) Undertaking a policy of academic exchanges specialized in Chinese studies; and f) Contributing to the organization of a platform for meetings and joint work among specialized researchers (and interested people) about China in Venezuela.

Finally, we would like to thank all those people and institutions that have contributed to the initial phase of this project. AVECH was born at ULA. Congratulations to China and Venezuela!

Norbert Molina Medina, Ph.D.

General Secretary