Greetings from Zhucheng, Shandong
19th July I arrived in Zhucheng, Shandong Province (山东诸城) and was warmly hosted by our appointed Chairman of the China-To-ASEAN Business Council (中国至东盟工商会), Mr. Zhang Lihua (张立华).
I was also deeply honoured to be invited by Wanxing Group (万兴集团), one of Zhucheng's leading corporations, to visit their remarkable botanical garden. It is home to countless rare trees, many of which are several hundred years old, with some believed to be well over a thousand years old. Walking through this extraordinary collection was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.
We also visited their exclusive museum and cultural arts centre, where I had the opportunity to admire an impressive collection of Chinese calligraphy, paintings and cultural treasures. The experience was simply breathtaking. In fact, I was so captivated by everything I saw that I completely forgot to take more photographs! I'll certainly take many more when I return again.
This visit reminded me once again that China's strengths extend far beyond manufacturing. Its rich history, profound culture, innovation and appreciation for heritage are equally inspiring.
Later this morning, I will be meeting with senior government officials before addressing leading entrepreneurs and industry leaders on the topic of 企业出海 (Going Global)* under our China-To-ASEAN Initiative (中国至东盟倡议).
The China-To-ASEAN Initiative is a strategic platform established by Communication 21 Media Group to help Chinese enterprises expand into the ASEAN region by connecting businesses, industries, investors and institutions. Through this initiative, we facilitate market access, strategic partnerships, AI-powered business matching, digital catalogues, investment opportunities and cross-border collaboration, serving as a practical bridge between China's industrial strengths and ASEAN's dynamic market of more than 700 million people.
It's already past midnight here, so it's time for me to get some rest and prepare for an important day ahead. Looking forward to meaningful discussions later this morning, and I'll be sharing more updates after the meetings.
Next stops: Shenzhen, Hangzhou, Guangxi Nanning, and Henan Zhengzhou. Looking forward to meeting government officials, entrepreneurs, industry leaders and strategic partners as we continue advancing the China-To-ASEAN Initiative, supporting Chinese enterprises in expanding into ASEAN, and strengthening cooperation in AI, robotics, halal certification and cross-border trade.