This is the second time I’ve been to China. The first time was in June 1997 with my wife, Marilou, before the final handover of Hong Kong to China on July 1, 1997. We even crossed over to Shenzhen on that tour.
It’s not about fear, just that for so long, I refused the invitations of some friends to tour Mission Hills in Shenzhen, a popular destination for Asian amateur golfers who want to play on its several championship golf courses.
However, two weeks ago, I could not resist the invitation of my fellow Rotarian, Kuya Edwin Villaver, to join him at the China (Qingdao) Packaging Equipment and Film Exhibition and China Qingdao Gravure Printing Industry Expo in Shibei District, Qingdao, Shandong. I wanted to see for myself the much-publicized economic progress of China on social media platforms.
Villaver, the proprietor of Optima Printing Press, one of the biggest printing presses in Cebu, has frequently attended printing and equipment fairs held in various major cities in China to enhance his printing business. Villaver heads a team of business persons from Cebu, part of the Philippine delegation under the “Sansin Group,” led by Vince Ong, for this Expo.
Albert See, the president of the Printing Industries Association of the Philippines, also attended the event.
Aside from me, Villaver was accompanied by his son Emman, entrepreneurs Helbert Espinosa and Well Ledesma, and spouses Roel and Presca Ortega, who are also involved in the printing business.
We left Cebu at 2 a.m. on Sunday, July 6, 2025, on a direct flight from Mactan to Shanghai and then transferred to a domestic flight to Qingdao. The trip aboard China Eastern Airline (my first time to know of such an airline) was pleasant, and free food was served.
What the West previously depicted of China, being a communist country, was simply untrue — and if I may say, the exact opposite. The Shanghai International Airport is incredibly huge, modern and tidy. The same is true at the Qingdao airport terminal. A mini-bus fetched us at the airport along with delegates from Vietnam, taking us to our hotel.
We were billeted at the hotel just beside the extremely large convention center, where extra-modern printing machines of all sizes and packaging equipment were displayed. Lavish food and drinks during lunch and dinner were served to the more than 3,000 participants from the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia.
Looking at the clean surroundings, lush vegetation alongside the wide roads and the high-rise buildings in Qingdao, I could only chuckle in disbelief at how far our country has been left behind economically and in terms of infrastructure. China is even way ahead of America and Europe in the production of electric vehicles.
The exhibition and expo provide a platform for industry leaders, manufacturers and suppliers to connect, collaborate and build relationships, potentially leading to new business partnerships and opportunities.
The event allows exhibitors to showcase their latest machine tools and manufacturing technologies, enabling attendees to explore cutting-edge products and stay up-to-date with industry advancements. The Expo featured 200 exhibitors with 3,000 entrepreneurs attending. The exhibition also features insightful discussions, allowing attendees to gain valuable knowledge and insights from industry experts.
The event certainly contributes to the local economy by attracting visitors and exhibitors from around the world, resulting in increased spending on accommodations, food and other services.
The Qingdao printing, packaging equipment and thin film exhibition serve as a vital platform for industry professionals to connect, learn and grow, driving innovation and progress in the field of industrial engineering.
On the second day, we were invited to see the modern Weidong Plant that produces plastic sheets that supply packaging to food manufacturers worldwide. The speakers only spoke in Mandarin, but we had a translator so we could understand.
On a personal note, my gratitude to China Consul General Madame Zhang Zhen in Cebu for approving my visa on such short notice.