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Chinese group tour travel to PH resumes after three years

First Post-Pandemic Tour Group Visa issued in Shanghai

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14 April – Inbound Chinese tourism into the Philippines took another step towards recovering pre-pandemic levels with the issuance of the first group visa for a Chinese package tour group at the Consulate General in Shanghai, on 14 April 2023.

The Tour Group shall be traveling to a Philippine beach destination later this month.

The issuance marks an important milestone in outbound Chinese travel to the Philippines. China relaxed three-years of COVID19-related restrictions on inbound-outbound travel on 08 January, and took a further step on 06 February with the resumption of outbound group tours.

Philippine consular offices across China opened their doors to Tour Group visa applications on 10 April, observing a three-working day turnaround time. The first application in Shanghai was filed on 11 April.

Until this week, had only been accepting individual visa applications.

Consul General Josel F. Ignacio, Consul John Francis S. Herrera, and DOT Shanghai Administrative Officer Warren S. Palacio witnessed the release of the visa to the travel agency representative. tourgroupvisa2

“Our Consulate General fully supports our country’s tourism goals vis-à-vis the Chinese market, which has been an important driver of inbound arrivals prior to the pandemic”, said Consul General Ignacio.

Only Travel Agencies duly accredited with the Consulate General may submit Tour Group Visa applications. These agencies must be accredited by the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA), must have a subsisting Cooperation Agreement with a DOT-accredited Philippine tour operator, and must be endorsed both by the DOT and the DFA. END

China rolls out red carpet for fresh Philippine Durian, King of Fruits

First Shipments Arrive from Davao

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Jiaxing, Zhejiang Province, 11 April – Chinese wholesalers, retailers and consumers turned out in droves to welcome the arrival of the first shipments of fresh Philippine durian into China at Jiaxing’s Haiguangxing Premium Fruit Market, the major gateway for imported fruits into East China.

Joining Chinese officials and fruit traders at the ceremony were Consul General Josel F. Ignacio and Commercial Vice Consul Mario C. Tani of the Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC) in Shanghai C. Tani.

durian2 Three containers’ load of fresh PH durian were unveiled to great fanfare as befits the landmark event. Durian tasting for the large audience closed the event.

The Chinese side included Mr. WANG Jianjun of the Jiaxing Foreign Affairs Office; Haiguangxing Fruit Market Chairman WANG Weiming and General Manager XU Zheng; CEO WEI Yalin of Zhejiang Xinghang Agricultural Science & Technology Co., Ltd.; and General Manager YE Jianping of Jiaxing Fuye Trading Co., Ltd.

Zhejiang Xinhang of the Xinglong Group are the local partners of Davao City-based pioneer durian exporter Eng Seng Food Products.

The fresh durians were part of the 28-ton first shipment out of Davao City on 6 April that entered through Nanning, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. The shipment marks the first concrete outcome of the bilateral agreement on the export of fresh durian to China sealed during the Presidential visit of January 2023.

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Durian is a top-seller in China and was the country’s top imported fruit in 2022, at 825,000 tons valued at USD 4.03 billion. Demand continues to outpace supply.

“I am pleased to be welcoming today to China a different kind of V-I-P from the Philippines: a ‘V-ery I-mportant P-roduce’”, said Consul General Ignacio in his address. With the Philippines dominating the banana and pineapple market, “we wish to add to our good reputation by providing you the best and freshest Durian, rivaling that from other countries. END.

Visit of Former President Arroyo portends intensified PH interaction with Shanghai; Yangtze Delta Area

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SHANGHAI, 05 April – Senior Deputy Speaker and former President Gloria Macapagal Arroyo became the highest ranking Philippine official to visit Shanghai and the Yangtze River Delta area since China’s lifting of travel restrictions, as she led Filipino youths on a tour of Shanghai and Hangzhou on 1 and 2 April 2023.

The former President was in the region as part of a larger itinerary in China on the invitation of the Beijing-based China Public Diplomacy Association (CPDA). The Filipino youths were selected by the Association for Philippines-China Understanding (APCU), a Philippine NGO established in 1974 to promote people-to-people diplomacy and friendship with China. APCU Chairman Raul L. Lambino accompanied the group.

pgma visit2 Arriving in Shanghai from Changsha, Hunan Province, on April 1, the former President and her delegation were welcomed by Foreign Affairs Office Deputy Director General Fu Jihong and Philippine Consul General Josel F. Ignacio.

The following day saw them visit St. Ignatius Cathedral, the Shanghai Tower, and the Memorial to the 1^st National Congress of the Communist Party of China. A lunch hosted by DDG Fu, during which the Philippines’ cooperation with China’s financial capital was extensively discussed, capped the Shanghai leg.

Accompanied by officials of the Consulate General and the Philippine Trade and Investment Center-Shanghai the group traveled by rail to Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province, where they were received by Mr. Xing Huidong, Executive Vice President of the Zhejiang Provincial People’s Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries (ZPPAFFC), on behalf of the Provincial Government.

The highlight of the leg was the visit to e-commerce giant Alibaba Group’s sprawling headquarters, also known as the “Xixi campus”. No less than Alibaba Chairman and CEO (Daniel) Zhang Yong, with Lazada Group CEO James Z. Dong, welcomed and toured the former President as part of a briefing on Alibaba’s history, current operations, and future plans.

pgma visit3 Both Alibaba and Lazada expressed excitement over the dynamism of the Philippines’ e-commerce market. Chairman Zhang proudly cited Philippine products now “unlocking the Chinese market” via Alibaba platforms, such as Sunflower crackers Sunnies Face cosmetics, and Kojie San skin lightening products.

The delegation departed for Beijing that same evening, after a dinner hosted by Mr. Xing.

The former President first visited Shanghai in 1977, in an eye-opening sojourn just before Deng Xiaoping ushered in the transformative Reform and Opening Up policy that gave birth to China, the global economic power. Her current trip, taking place against the backdrop of a far modern and globally linked China, was organized roughly following her 1977 itinerary, for the benefit of participating Filipino youths. END

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ADVISORY: On Overseas Voter Registration

The Resident Election Registration Board (RERB) will hold a meeting on 17 April 2023 (Monday), 5:00pm at the Philippine Consulate General in Shanghai for the hearing of the applications of registrants who registered during the period 09 December 2022 – 31 March 2023 for overseas voting for the 2025 midterm elections.

Please advise the Consulate General should there be any objections against the registration of the following applicants on or before 10 April 2023.

LIST OF APPLICANTS (As of 09 December 2022 – 31 March 2023)