Expectations have also changed. In the past, simply having a presence was often enough. Today, the challenge is to be relevant. And relevance cannot be achieved through promotion alone—it requires knowledge, adaptation, consistency, and the ability to create genuine value for both sides.

I believe international cooperation has matured. It is no longer just about connecting countries; it is about connecting different visions, interests, and ways of understanding the world.

You were born in Shanghai, lived in Italy and France, and now divide your professional life between Madrid and Shanghai. How has this multicultural background shaped your strategic vision and your approach to leading international projects?

Living across different cultures taught me early on that understanding a country is not simply about speaking its language or knowing its formal protocols. It means understanding how people think, how they make decisions, how they build trust, and how they interpret professional relationships.

My international experience has given me insight into different approaches to change, negotiation, and the management of diverse interests. It has also strengthened my ability to listen, adapt, and think strategically, enabling me to anticipate cultural differences, tailor messages to different audiences, and build stronger, more sustainable relationships over time.

In international projects, the greatest challenge often lies not in the objectives themselves, but in how each party interprets those objectives. Two organizations may genuinely want to collaborate, yet still fail to speak the same strategic language.

A significant part of my role is to bridge that gap—to help people move beyond communication and achieve genuine mutual understanding. For me, that is the foundation of any successful international partnership.

As the Founder and CEO of ASIALINK, what market needs did you identify that led you to establish a firm specializing in strategic relations between China, Europe, and Latin America?

When I founded ASIALINK, I identified a very clear gap in the market. Many institutions and companies were eager to engage with China, but very few had a deep understanding of the market, its business culture, or the channels through which meaningful access could actually be achieved.

There was industry expertise, a strong commitment to international expansion, and significant opportunities. What was missing was a partner capable of integrating strategic vision, institutional relationships, cultural intelligence, and effective market execution.

From the very beginning, ASIALINK was created with that mission: to help governments, destinations, brands, and organizations not simply "enter" China, but establish a meaningful and sustainable position within the market.

Because success in China is not just about being present. It is about understanding where to be, how to be there, who to work with, and what value you bring. That distinction remains just as important today as it was when we began.

As the representative in Spain of major Chinese tourism platforms, how do you see digital technologies transforming travel decisions and the behavior of Asian consumers?

In China, technology is not simply a tool that supports travel—it is a fundamental part of the consumer experience.

Chinese travelers are inspired, compare options, make reservations, pay, share their experiences, and leave reviews within a highly integrated digital ecosystem. These platforms are far more than sales channels; they are spaces where discovery, trust, recommendations, and brand perception are built.

This has completely transformed the way destinations and businesses must engage with the Chinese market. Having a digital presence is no longer enough. Organizations need to understand consumers' digital behavior, the mechanisms through which trust is established, their search habits, and how travel decisions are shaped through multiple digital touchpoints.

Technology has made the market faster, but it has also made it far more demanding. Success now requires a much more precise and sophisticated strategy.

Your academic background combines legal studies in Spain with executive leadership training at Harvard. How have these two educational perspectives complemented your ability to negotiate, design strategies, and manage complex international relationships?

My legal education provided a highly valuable intellectual framework: analytical rigor, the ability to interpret complex situations, attention to nuance, and a clear understanding of the interests of each party involved.

My executive education gave me a broader strategic perspective on leadership, decision-making, and managing organizations in an international environment.

I believe these two perspectives complement each other exceptionally well. In international relations, it is not enough to identify an opportunity. You also need to know how to structure it, negotiate it, protect it, and make it viable for all the stakeholders involved.

In my work, strategy requires vision, but it also requires method. And negotiation requires ambition, but equally, balance.

Since 2005, you have led initiatives that have strengthened ties between China, Spain, and Latin America. Which projects do you consider particularly significant because of their long-term economic, cultural, or institutional impact?

Rather than highlighting a single project, I would point to those that have helped create lasting relationships between institutions, destinations, and businesses.

Over the years, we have supported public administrations, tourism destinations, brands, and cultural organizations through processes that went far beyond one-off initiatives, opening the door to long-term collaboration.

For me, the most meaningful projects are those that generate continuity: when an institutional presentation evolves into a lasting partnership; when a promotional initiative creates new opportunities for cooperation; or when a company begins to understand a market from a more strategic perspective.

The true impact is not always visible immediately. More often, it becomes evident years later, when those relationships remain active and continue to generate value.

You have worked closely with governments, brands, and cultural organizations. What role do you believe cultural diplomacy plays in building trust and fostering sustainable relationships between countries?

Cultural diplomacy plays a fundamental role because it builds trust from a place that is less transactional and far more human.

Culture creates a space for mutual understanding. It enables countries to engage not only through their economic or political interests, but also through their history, values, sensibilities, and ways of seeing the world.

In the relationships between China, Europe, and Latin America, culture is an exceptionally powerful bridge. It helps reduce distances, spark curiosity, and create the emotional foundation upon which stronger institutional and business relationships can later be built.

Trust comes before business. And culture is often the first language through which that trust is established.

As former President and current Chair of the Advisory Board of China Club Spain, what progress have you seen in the integration and visibility of Chinese professionals and executives within Spain's business ecosystem?

Over the past few years, the progress has been very encouraging.

The Chinese professional community in Spain is now more diverse, better qualified, and far more visible than it was in the past. We are no longer speaking only about entrepreneurs in traditional sectors, but also about senior executives, innovators, highly skilled professionals, and bicultural talent who play an increasingly active role in Spain's business and institutional landscape.

I also see growing recognition among Spanish institutions and companies of the value this talent brings. Chinese professionals in Spain represent much more than a community—they are genuine bridges between markets, cultures, and business opportunities.

There is still room for progress, particularly in terms of visibility and representation in decision-making forums, but the overall trend is clearly moving in the right direction.

Many companies aspire to enter the Chinese market but underestimate its complexity. What advice would you give business leaders seeking to establish a strong, sustainable, and competitive presence there?

My first recommendation would be not to underestimate the market—and to visit China in person. Seeing the country firsthand is invaluable. China's extraordinary transformation remains largely underestimated in many parts of the West, and it is only by experiencing it directly that one truly appreciates the scale of its development and the opportunities it offers.

China is an exceptionally sophisticated, highly competitive, and constantly evolving market. Entering with a superficial understanding or expecting immediate results is one of the most common mistakes.

My second recommendation would be to listen before acting. Understand the consumer, the local partner, the regulatory environment, the distribution channels, and the broader cultural context.

Third, build a gradual, realistic, and long-term strategy. Not every company needs the same approach or needs to be present on every platform. The key is to identify where you can create genuine value and how you can build lasting credibility.

Above all, understand that China does not reward improvisation. It rewards consistency, adaptability, and trust.

Throughout your career, you have promoted mutual understanding between different cultures. How important is intercultural intelligence today for professionals aspiring to build truly global careers?

Intercultural intelligence has become a strategic capability.

In today's globalized world, international experience and multilingual skills are no longer enough. Professionals must also understand how different cultures perceive authority, trust, time, commitment, negotiation, and leadership.

Many professional misunderstandings arise not from a lack of competence, but from a lack of cultural understanding.

For tomorrow's leaders, intercultural intelligence will be just as important as strategic vision or the capacity for innovation. The most successful international partnerships are built not only on data and agreements, but also on people, context, and trust.

Looking ahead, what strategic goals would you like to achieve with ASIALINK, and what trends do you believe will shape relations between Asia, Europe, and Latin America over the next decade?

Our goal is to establish ASIALINK as a leading strategic platform for fostering relations between China, Europe, and Latin America, particularly in travel and tourism, culture, the digital economy, institutional cooperation, and international business development.

We want to continue supporting governments, destinations, and companies at a time when building a meaningful presence in Asia will increasingly require deep market knowledge, specialized expertise, and strong local execution capabilities.

I believe the next decade will be shaped by three major trends: deeper connections between regional ecosystems, an even more digitalized consumer landscape, and a growing demand for strategic professionals capable of navigating increasingly complex international environments.

Asia, Europe, and Latin America have tremendous potential to build together. But meaningful cooperation requires more than goodwill. It requires vision, trust, and continuity.

That is where ASIALINK intends to continue making a difference—helping transform international opportunities into genuine, sustainable, and long-lasting partnerships.

On behalf of Tourism and Society Think Tank, we extend our sincere gratitude to Jennifer Zhang for this insightful interview, which has given us a deeper understanding of China's reality, rich culture, and extraordinary tourism offering. Her experience, strategic vision, and commitment to intercultural dialogue enrich our shared knowledge and strengthen the ties between China, Spain, and Latin America. Thank you for inspiring us to continue promoting tourism founded on cooperation, mutual respect, and lasting understanding.