The China National Heavy Duty Truck Group (Sinotruck) recently opened a 4S shop in Cebu, the Philippines.

The ribbon-cutting ceremony received the attendance of distinctive officials from China and the Philippines, including former Philippine President and now Congresswoman Gloria Macapagal Arroyo and Chinese Consul General in Cebu Ja Li.

Arroyo said in her speech that China is one of the Philippines' most important economic partners as well as an important force in the world economy and a fast-growing Asian neighbor.

She said that the Sinotruck HOWO is a household name in the Philippines. She also expressed her hope that Sinotruck and its dealers will use this 4S shop as an opportunity to expand the cooperation scale and market influence and make contributions to the economic development of the two countries.

Ja said that through joint efforts, China-Philippine relations have entered into a new development stage with sound cooperation across the board.

Sinotruck's settlement in Cebu will provide support for the ongoing infrastructure construction of local people, Ja added.

He hoped that more economic and trade cooperation and cultural exchange projects will be launched in Cebu in the future to push the friendship and cooperation between China and the Philippines to a new level.

Philippines is an important overseas market for Sinotruck and the company will rely on its business in the Visayas region to provide good sales and after-sales service in the Philippine market, build up the Chinese brand image and help the Philippine economic and social development, said an senior manager from Sinotruck.

Cebu is a province of the Philippines located in the central Visayas region, and consists of a main island and 167 surrounding islands and islets.

Sinotruck, the Shandong province-based manufacturer, sold 33,700 heavy trucks overseas in 2017, some 11 percent of its total sales for that year.

It was one of China's first heavy vehicle manufacturers to begin exploring overseas markets. It now has offices in some 70 countries and is selling its trucks to around 110 countries and regions.

The company is betting big on the overseas market, expecting half of its total sales to  come from outside of China by 2020, according to the company.

Officials attend the ribbon-cutting ceremony of a 4S shop of China National Heavy Duty Truck Group (Sinotruck) in Cebu, the Philippines. [Photo provided to chinadaily.com.cn]

A staff member works at the Sinotruck production line in Jinan, Shandong province. The company is one of the country's first heavy vehicle manufacturers to tap the overseas markets. [Photo by Guo Xulei/Xinhua]