STRONGER BONDS ACROSS CULTURES

Beyond trade, Chancay Port is also a bridge of cultural exchange.

"In Peru, Chinese people are often affectionately called paisanos," said Varon. Peru's Congress has even declared Feb. 1 as Peru-China Fraternity Day.

Chinese-Peruvian fusion restaurants, known as "chifas," are a hallmark of Peru's urban landscape. "Half of the port workers come from the Chancay area," said Rios. "Many young locals, after training, have become skilled operators of smart equipment."

Peruvian and Chinese employees work side-by-side, with relationships forged outside of work. "Many Chinese staff already consider Peru their second home," Rios added.

In 2024, Cusco's Inka Museum hosted Sunlight: Cultural Exchange Exhibition between the Ancient Shu and Inca Civilizations, receiving nearly 8,000 visitors.

"For the first time, Chinese artifacts arrived in Cusco and were displayed alongside Inca relics," said Julinho Zapata, the museum's director. "The artifacts communicated with each other."

"It was truly transcendental," added Eleazar Crucinta, rector of the National University of San Antonio Abad in Cusco. "People finally saw Chinese culture not in books or images, but in person."