"Over the past 20 years, Shandong province has developed rapidly, especially Zibo city, which has undergone tremendous change," said Yoshinori Amamoto, general manager of Zibo AGC Alumina Materials Co, a Sino-Japanese joint venture.

Yoshinori Amamoto, general manager of Zibo AGC Alumina Materials Co [Photo/sdchina.com]

"When I first came to Zibo in 1997, the lack of good Japanese food was a huge headache for me," he recalled.

"At the time, there was no fresh sashimi available in Boshan district (Zibo) and it was difficult to find in Zibo, so I had to go to Qingdao to get it. It took me a whole day to make the round trip," he said, adding that with the development of the economy and society, upscale Japanese restaurants are now available in Zibo and trips to Qingdao are very convenient by high-speed rail or expressways.

He was also impressed by the measures taken by the Chinese governments at all levels to combat the COVID-19 epidemic and help enterprises reopen.

Yoshinori Amamoto (right) at work [Photo/sdchina.com]

"Our company resumed production on Feb 10, making it one of the first enterprises to do so in Zibo," he said, adding that the local government departments helped them solve problems they encountered during the epidemic so that they could start work as soon as possible and minimize losses.

"I often recommend the investment environment and market here to my friends in Japan," he said. "Zibo has launched a series of measures to facilitate the development of local enterprises and boost foreign investment. I am full of hope for the development of Zibo and my company."