Experiencing Guizhou
Text and photos by Hanna C. Lacsamana
A Philippine delegation composed of media professionals, content creators, and vloggers visited the province of Guizhou, China for a cultural exchange and travel program from Sept. 14 to 18, 2026.
Former Senator Anna Dominique “Nikki” Coseteng, who led the delegation, said the tour aimed to give Filipino media and content creators an opportunity to see China’s development firsthand and help provide a broader understanding of the country.
On the first day of the tour, the group visited the Balinghe Bridge in Guanling county, once the highest bridge in the world and known as an engineering masterpiece; and the Huangguoshu Waterfall in Anshun, considered the largest waterfall in China and one of the largest in East Asia.
The second day brought the delegation to the Guiyang North Railway Station where they experienced a 1.5-hour high-speed bullet train ride to Congjiang Railway Station, followed by a guided walking tour of the nearby Zhaoxing Dong Minority Village.
At the village, the group was introduced to the Five Drum Towers, experienced wearing traditional attires of the Dong village people, and learned their traditional dance and songs. They also watched an evening performance of the UNESCO-recognized, multi-voiced Dong Grand Choir.
On Sept. 17, the Miao Minority Village, teeming with local and foreign tourists, welcomed everyone to an interesting folk performance both by young and old generations of the Miao people, who are visibly proud of their culture, tangible and intangible. This was proven by how the Dong and Miao people preserve and showcase their past and present ways of life at the Qiandongnan Minority Museum in Kaili City, where the group marveled at the expansive cultural center and the heritage it holds inside.
The group, on the last day, explored the Guiyang Outlets Mall, a massive shopping complex for international and domestic fashion brands.
Coseteng, who served as a Philippine senator from 1992 to 2001, is hoping for greater understanding between the Philippines and China, saying tensions between the two countries should not lead to a situation where Filipinos would have to experience war.
“I find that the tension between China and the Philippines has risen so much that it makes me uncomfortable,” Coseteng said in an interview, explaining that her generation has not experienced war and that she does not want her children and grandchildren to experience one.
She cited the ongoing conflicts in Gaza and Ukraine as examples of the human cost of war, saying she wanted the Philippines to avoid a similar situation.
The former senator hopes Filipinos could live comfortably and that future generations would not experience hunger, poverty, and poor living conditions.
She recalled her first visit to China in 1989, when she said bicycles were common, gasoline stations were scarce, and some people used tractors with carts for transportation.
She witnessed China’s transformation over the succeeding 25 to 30 years, from widespread bicycle use to the development of a major automotive industry, including a Chinese electric vehicle manufacturer.
Coseteng also pointed to China’s efforts to address air pollution, recalling that Beijing was heavily affected by smog during her earlier visits. She said government measures regulating vehicle engines and emissions contributed to improvements in air quality.
She likewise cited the use of large-scale solar and wind energy installations in areas that were previously desert, saying renewable energy facilities could be placed in locations where agricultural production was not practical.
On urban development, Coseteng said China had renovated and preserved old communities and integrated them into tourism areas instead of simply demolishing them.
She also noted what she described as clean construction sites and well-maintained public spaces during the trip.
Coseteng mentioned China’s extensive railway system as another example of its approach to public infrastructure. She said the country has built tens of thousands of kilometers of railways and that trains continue to operate even when they are not full, contrasting this with infrastructure projects that rely heavily on private-sector financing and revenue generation.
She said her objective in bringing the group to China was not simply tourism, but exposure to the country’s development and culture.
According to Coseteng, China’s experience with war, famine, and poverty has shaped its drive for economic and social development.
She said its transformation showed how a country could move from widespread poverty toward providing food, housing, clothing, and economic opportunities for its population.
