The Amazon Journey: Where Friendship Began (2018)

In 2018, Hongda received an invitation from the Brazilian Coatings Association for the first time: to join a fishing expedition on the Amazon River.

It was not a trade fair, nor a negotiation. It was a pure invitation, to fish, eat, and talk with friends from Brazil's coatings industry on the world's greatest river. For Hongda, the weight of this invitation far exceeded any commercial contract. It meant that our relationship with our Brazilian partners had evolved from business dealings into genuine friendship.

Chairman Yuan Junjie accepted with pleasure. On the broad waters of the Amazon, he fished side by side with leaders of Brazil's coatings industry, shared meals under open skies, and talked about life, family and the future. No prices, no products, no contract terms. Just the simplest connection between people.

The Amazon has a power to strip away all titles and pretenses. In its vastness, positions and company sizes cease to matter. What remains is trust, respect and sincerity, precisely the rarest and most precious elements in any business relationship.

This journey strengthened Hongda's belief that business is, at its core, about people. The best partnerships are never negotiated in conference rooms; they grow through genuine moments shared together. When you show up not only when there is something to gain, but when there is friendship to share, partners become friends.

The 2018 Amazon trip marked a milestone in Hongda's ongoing friendship with its Brazilian partners, one that continues to grow.