Editor's note: "Ambassadors' China Story" is a series about former ambassadors to China who share their China stories through old photos and mementos, providing details of their experiences through their own eyes. 

Erlinda Fadera Basilio, the Philippines' former ambassador to China, packed nearly 300 boxes when she finished her tenure in Beijing and returned home. The boxes are filled with items she collected in China, from ceramic vases to Chinese embroidery, from Tai Chi books to photo albums. When she opens the boxes, memories flood her mind and it reminds her of the wonderful friendship that she forged with the Chinese people.

Basilio made many close friends during her tenure in China, including Bai Tian, the Philippines' desk officer at the Foreign Ministry of China at the time. During the three weeks she was hospitalized for pneumonia in 2016, Bai visited her every day.

"I've never seen a person so dedicated and so loving to a friend like me," said Basilio. Under the care of medical staff, she gradually recovered and was deeply touched by their attention.