GOVPH

PCG, Taizhou Chamber of Commerce in PH join hands to drive PH-Zhejiang business linkages

Ms. ZHANG Hong Yang, Chair of the Taizhou Association (Chamber of Commerce) of the Philippines paid an introductory call on Consul General Josel F. Ignacio on 17 August, prior to her departure for Manila. Also present were Consul Francis S. Herrera and PTIC-Shanghai Head Vice Consul Mario C. Tani.

The Taizhou Association of the Philippines counts over 150 member enterprises, all of which are headquartered in Taizhou City, Zhejiang Province. Taizhou is one of China’s principal industrial cities and manufacturing bases.

Ms. Zhang briefed the Consulate General on activities of the Taizhou Association, including skills and Mandarin language training for Filipinos. She also touched on the launch and expansion in the Philippines of leading Chinese courier and logistics company YTO Express via YTO Express Philippines.

Both sides welcomed the sustained growth of Philippines-China economic engagement, and discussed the interest of several Zhejiang-based enterprises to import more Philippine goods and to invest in Philippine special economic zones.

Zhejiang Province is a priority of the PCG’s economic diplomacy efforts . It is China’s wealthiest province, and is a major export base and manufacturing center. Significantly for the Philippines, Zhejiang, together with Jiangsu, tops other Chinese provinces in terms of overseas investment. END

Consul General Ignacio reinforces PH networks at Suzhou Forum on supply chain cooperation

Suzhou, Jiangsu Province – Consul General Josel F. Ignacio underlined the vast untapped potential of the Philippines’ economic interaction with Jiangsu province during his visit to Suzhou City on 28-29 July.

The Consul General was attending the ASEAN Plus Three Forum on Industrial Chain and Supply Chain and the Taihu East Asian Entrepreneurs Forum at the Suzhou-Taihu International Conference Centre, together with other Shanghai- and Beijing-based diplomats, government officials and business representatives.

The event was organized by the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, the Jiangsu Provincial People’s Government, Suzhou Municipal People’s Government, and China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT) Jiangsu Sub-Council, among others.

On the eve of the Forum, CG Ignacio and diplomats from ASEAN, Japan and Korea paid a courtesy call on Jiangsu Vice Governor FEI Gaoyun.

At the welcome reception that followed, the Consul General held brief discussions with Vice Governor Fei, Suzhou Mayor Wu Qingwen and Jiangsu Foreign Affairs Office Deputy Director General Huang Xiqiang. Citing economic complementarities, he vowed to build stronger linkages between the Consulate General and its attached agencies on one hand, and Jiangsu trade and investment authorities, business chambers and organizations, and private enterprises.

The Forum proper on 29 July featured a succession of heavyweight speakers, led by Vice Premier Hu Chunhua, Jiangsu Governor Xu Kunlin, Assistant Minister of Commerce Li Fei, CCPIT Vice Chair Chen Jian’an, ASEAN Secretary General Lim Jock Hoi, WTO Deputy Director General Zhang Ziangchen, and ranking economic ministers and experts from ASEAN, Japan and the ROK.

The keynote speeches converged around the need for supply chain security and resilience amidst geopolitical tensions and pandemics, the role of digitization and “greening” in this effort, and the enabling environment provided by free trade agreements, including the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) deal. END

Holiday Notice: PCG is closed on 12 September 2022 in observance of Chinese Mid-Autumn Festival