丝路人：来自厄瓜多尔的中国好朋友 | He is more than a friend

丝路人

“国之交在于民相亲，民相亲在于心相通。”

“一带一路”不仅是经济、贸易之路，也是文明、友谊之路。

在过去几年中，“一带一路”沿线国家的民众们也积极参与到建设当中来，共建"民心相通桥"， 共享发展成果。

在本期《丝路人》系列视频中，来自厄瓜多尔的埃尔南•阿尔瓦拉多分享了他和中国的“不解之缘”，讲述了他的“一带一路”故事。

Close cooperation in infrastructure, the economy, and technology have greatly thrived between China and it's partner nations since the launch of the Belt and Road Initiative in 2013. 

Thanks to deepening ties between the countries, more foreigners are realizing the value of life in Chinese companies.

CGTN is sharing the personal stories of seven employees who work in Chinese companies that are based in their own countries.

In the second episode of "The Faces," Hernan Alvarado from Ecuador shares his own story of being a technical representative in Arbolito-Los Chillos bridge and tunnel project, Quito, the capital of Ecuador.

Arbolito-Los Chillos项目的推出是为了缓解厄瓜多尔首都基多市内拥挤的交通。目前基多市人口约200万，据车流量统计分析，每天经过此区域的车辆超过9万辆，高峰时段需要大约1个小时来通过该段3.5公里的道路。因此政府考虑建造一座800米跨度的大桥，并连接有长约3公里的隧道。该项目建成后将为用户节约大概45分钟的时间，大大的减轻基多市民的出行负担。

The project was launched to alleviate the crowded traffic in Quito. Currently, the population of Quito is about two million. According to traffic statistics, there are more than 90,000 vehicles that pass through the area every day. It takes about an hour to pass a 3.5-kilometer road during peak hours, the government is considering constructing a 800-meter-long bridge and connecting a tunnel of about three kilometers. After the project is completed, it will save people about 45 minutes, greatly reducing the travel burden of the Quito citizens.

Quito, the Capital of Ecuador. /Photo Courtesy of CCECC

“知之者不如好之者，好之者不如乐之者”。

埃尔南曾是一位年轻的工程师，怀有一颗为国家发展做出贡献的热忱之心。此前他在厄瓜多尔的政府部门工作，负责监理一些中国公司承担实施的水电站相关项目。这份经历让他和中国人逐步建立了良好的关系，最终赢得了中国土木工程建设总公司的信任并成功加入了团队。

自2017年加入中土集团厄瓜多尔分公司以来，埃尔南觉得每天都会面对各种新兴科技和先进技术。在与中方员工的合作过程中，他也希望厄瓜多尔能够充分利用“一带一路”倡议为商业贸易、基础设施等领域带来的机遇。

Hernan was a young engineer, with big ambitions to contribute to his country's development. His previous experience in the Ecuadorian government, administrating and auditing different hydroelectric projects, executed by foreign companies made him interact with big Chinese companies, with designs all around the country.

This experience allowed him to found good relationships with people from China. Some of them asked him for technical, administrative, financial and even legal advice. And little by little he earned the trust of several Chinese companies like China Civil Engineering Construction Corporation (CCECC).

After his period in the government, he decided to work independently, and as a product of his relationships with Chines people, he developed new ventures with Chinese partners, like restaurants, laboratories, and another kind business. 

As part of his independent job, he also worked as a technical consultant for different Chinese companies, among them CCECC with whom created a robust and loyal relation, and this is why CCECC choose him to be part of their team.

Hernan is in the company. /Photo Courtesy of CCECC

He likes working in Chinese companies because of its innovative technology that renews every day, allowing him to be updated and on top of the latest developments, giving him higher experience and modernized engineering knowledge. 

He understands that China's growing and the important economy is the future for countries like Latin America, and Ecuador which can take advantage of the international Chinese projects like the Belt and Road Initiative.

For Hernan, this initiative is a bold alternative in terms of commerce and infrastructure cooperation, where the inversion and synergy will bring more technology and development to the country and the region.

He thinks this is an excellent opportunity for Ecuador and specifically for his family, this is why he encourages his children to learn and study Chinese, and hopes that one day they'll be accepted to a Chinese university.

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