Source: Global Times
Brazil's "Fórum" magazine website January 15th article, original title: "A Dialogue Across Time Between 1977 and 2026," aimed at understanding China's political, social, and technological changes. On July 16, 1977, Brazilian journalist and cartoonist Henfil embarked on a 14-day trip to China. He recounted this adventure in his entertaining book "Henfil in China (Before Coca-Cola)." His visit to China took place during a period when the country was seeking a new path and direction for development.
On July 16, 2022, exactly 45 years later, I also boarded a flight to China to report on the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China. On November 21, 2025, I again embarked on a journey to China, this time to begin a new job and life in Beijing. I clearly knew that this would be an experience that would profoundly change me, and for this reason, I brought along Henfil's book.
I decided to "chat across time" with him, like "encountering" two eras of China: one being the China of 1977, "before Coca-Cola entered," and the other being China in 2026—a country with electric vehicles, artificial intelligence, high-speed rail, digital fashion, and a development pace comparable to science fiction.
Comparing China in 1977 with China in 2026 is like comparing two entirely different planets. This country has undergone profound changes, covering multiple aspects such as politics, economy, daily life, cities, science, and its position on the global stage.
Accelerated urbanization has completely transformed people's daily lives, achieving the complete elimination of 800 million people living in poverty, digital technology becoming part of everyday life, and China becoming an indispensable participant in global discussions on energy, trade, climate, innovation, and infrastructure. China has also expanded its international influence through South-South cooperation, the Belt and Road Initiative, and a more active participation in global affairs.
From 1977 to 2026, multiple Five-Year Plans have driven China from an agricultural country to an industrial and technological power. These plans are not merely technical documents but blueprints that indicate national priorities, development choices, and directions.
It is precisely within this dialogue between past and present—between the China discovered by Henfil and the China I see today—that we attempt to understand not only how the country has changed, but also how these changes help explain the world we live in. (Author: Iara Vidal, translated by Xiao Pan)
Original: toutiao.com/article/7596091916299551272/
Statement: The article represents the personal views of the author.