It was not very long ago that China opened herself to the world but if you look at her development in the context of the western eyes, it is as if she has always been there alongside them. The skyline, the road and transport system, and the fashion are unmistakably western. Only the looks and feature of people have remained distinctly Chinese. That is my impression of China (at least of Xiamen , Nanchang , Guangchou and Guilin ) as a first timer who has always been influenced by my readings of the old communist stronghold under Chairman Mao.

There have been talks of our cement and steel bars being slurped by China thus making prices very prohibitive here but I did not understand them until I saw whole districts of high rise buildings being constructed at the same time and whole communities being transported to live in these districts. Constructions are seen almost everywhere. It's almost hard to believe what we saw. But we learned that investors are lured to the country because of their very attractive investment packages. Not only are investors given tax and other non-fiscal incentives. Relocators are also given in advance money to make sure they have operational funds. That is something we cannot afford to do in the Philippines .

They call this new phenomenon their market economy. No, they don't want to be described as transforming to a capitalist economy although it works the same. Everybody works for the economy. There are no people gallivanting during work time. Everybody must be working because you don't see people on the streets except the tourists. The only time people are seen relaxing is in the evening when you see them gather together to enjoy food outside restaurants under open skies. Or you see them early morning exercising on the sidewalks or in designated parks near rivers which are abundant even in cities.

Our local communists and leftist organizations here have something to learn. They must realize by now that if they succeed in installing a Maoist Communist Government, they will lose the right to parade on the streets or assemble in front of city and capitol halls to protest and or lambaste the government. They can do that now because they enjoy that right under the democratic system of government. Dissent can still be expressed but not in rallies or protest rallies. We did not expect the five-day trip to be mixed with pleasure but that was how it went. Work took us only a whole day but even that was interspersed with cultural experience as we were toured to some of the scenic and historically important spots by our host – the Department of Foreign and Overseas Affairs of the Provincial People's Government of Jiangxi.

We passed on the famous August Bridge in Nanchang named after the first uprising of August 1, 1927, visited the Tengkuan Pavillion that houses the cultural heritage of Jiangxi, went to Nanchang University (population: 83,000) with its statue of World Peace on its entrance, one of the only two statues in the world, the other one being in Normandy, sculptured by one o f the professors of the university. We also saw the Lake of the Green Mountain , one of the four lakes right in the city of Nanchang. The giant has awakened. Let us see if it will be a gentle or rouge giant.

Next week I will write about the eco-tourism program of Quilin and how it attracts 10 million tourists every year hoping that Bohol can l earn from its experience.