On November 11, 2024, Consul General Zhao Xiuzhen visited Mati, Davao Oriental along with representatives from several Chinese companies and Filipino-Chinese community. During her stay, she paid a courtesy call to Governor Niño Sotero L. Uy, Jr., and attended the opening ceremony of Mandarin language training program for government officials of Davao Oriental, co-organized by Ateneo de Davao University Confucius Institute and Davao Oriental State University (DOrSU).

Ms Zhao commended Governor Uy's active engagement in Chinese language training. She commented that Davao Oriental has rich tourism resources and mature aquaculture industry, constituting great potential for cooperation with China. The two sides should strengthen communication in this regard. Governor Uy introduced the tourism, agriculture, transportation, and telecommunication developments of Davao Oriental, and highlighted the importance of mandarin training in the provinces’ effort to communicate with the rest of the world. He also expressed the hope to carry out more economic and cultural exchanges with China.

After attending the ceremony, Ms Zhao visited DOrSU and had an in-depth discussion with its President, Dr. Roy Pence, on industry-university-research cooperation.