After multiple invitations, a seasoned journalist from Cebu finally embarked on a sponsored journey to Beijing in late 2025, an experience that would profoundly reshape his perspectives on media, technology, and international relations.
First Impressions: From Cebu Immigration to Beijing's Scale
The adventure began with a frustrating half-hour delay at Mactan-Cebu International Airport, where immigration officials meticulously scrutinized his documents for a sponsored trip he was about to undertake. This starkly contrasted with the swift, efficient process he encountered upon landing at the vast Beijing Capital International Airport just hours later, where clearance took less than five minutes.
As a guest of the Renmin University of China, he joined 14 other journalists from across Asia—including Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam, Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Timor-Leste, Sri Lanka, India, Bhutan, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Mongolia. The program, a first-of-its-kind initiative supported by China's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, aimed to foster understanding of the country's media and social media ecosystems.
The sheer scale of Beijing was his initial overwhelming takeaway. Traveling from the airport in an electric car, he marveled at the wide highways, towering infrastructure, and expansive cityscape, noting it felt larger than the entirety of Metro Cebu. Settling into his campus accommodation, the brisk 10-degree Celsius air provided a chilly welcome compared to Cebu's tropical heat.
Deep Dives: Lectures, Media Giants, and Cultural Nuances
The structured program blended academic lectures with immersive site visits. Mornings were dedicated to sessions with professors from prestigious institutions like Tsinghua University and Peking University. Topics ranged from "Navigating Changes: The Evolving Media Industry Landscape" to "Digital Media and Public Opinion in China" and broader geopolitical discussions on China-US relations and the Chinese path to modernization.
Visits to media and tech powerhouses left a lasting impression. The futuristic offices of the People's Daily left him and his colleagues awestruck, offering a tangible sense of China's advanced media infrastructure. At the China Media Group, he was momentarily surprised to find Chinese staff conversing fluently in Tagalog, prepared for the Filipino participant. This led to a reflective interview conducted in "Taglish," highlighting his own complex relationship with the national language.
Beyond Beijing, a high-speed train journey to Zhengzhou in Henan province showcased China's technological prowess, with tours of the Henan Media Group, Yutong Bus Co. Ltd., and the Henan Museum. Site visits also included tech leaders like Huawei and the Zhongguancun International Robotics Industrial Park, reinforcing narratives of rapid innovation.
Reflections and Camaraderie: Beyond Politics and Preconceptions
The journalist admits to arriving with a pre-existing admiration for China's documented success in lifting hundreds of millions out of poverty. The on-ground experience, from observing the social media environment within the "Great Firewall" to witnessing the scale of development, deepened this perspective. He argues for understanding China through its own historical context—including the "century of humiliation" and its subsequent transformation—rather than solely through a Western democratic lens.
Perhaps the most valued aspect of the trip was the camaraderie built with fellow journalists from across Asia. Evenings spent sharing meals and stories in the campus restaurant, and a final night of drinks in a hotel room, broke down professional barriers. He noted a sense of regional isolation working for a community paper in Cebu, envying the easy cross-border interactions of his Southeast Asian counterparts.
Returning to his daily walk from Urgello to P. del Rosario in Cebu City, the memories of azure Beijing skies, intense discussions, and newfound friendships from that two-week program in December 2025 remain a vivid, transformative interlude in his professional life.
