Jhoanna, sales manager of the foreign trade department at Zhejiang Guangju Paper Product Manufacturing Co Ltd. [Photo/WeChat account: tzfb001]

Jhoanna, a Filipino expat, first set foot in China five years ago and came to Taizhou in 2018 after visiting cities such as Shenzhen, Shanghai and Chongqing.

Today, she is the sales manager of the foreign trade department at the Zhejiang Guangju Paper Product Manufacturing Co Ltd.

"I want to stay here, Taizhou is my home!" says Jhoanna. "The sky is blue, the air is fresh, and people live in harmony with nature."

Taizhou is also a city that allows her to go on strolls at night without having to fear for her safety. This aspect of the city, she noted, has surprised many of her friends in the Philippines.

She attributed the city's excellent performance in foreign trade to local manufacturers' high-standard quality management and congenial customer services.

The kindness of local residents has made Jhoanna feel at home. Despite not being able to speak Mandarin, Jhoanna is still able to do her shopping without much trouble.

"My friends say I look like a Taizhou native when I walk around the grocery market now.”

Jhoanna has also tried many new things in the city such as square dancing, riding shared bicycles, eating Lanzhou noodles and picking Mandarin oranges on a mountain.

The city's tremendous changes have impressed her a lot.

"Taizhou is developing very quickly. There are towering buildings, new shopping malls and lots of parks," she said. "The transportation is also getting more convenient and you can go anywhere you want from Taizhou on bullet trains."