.Consul Demdem (right) and Commercial Vice Consul Tani (left) with Director Liu.

Shanghai, 27 May 2021 – Economic Officer Consul Conrado B. Demdem, Jr., and Commercial Vice Consul Mario C. Tani of the Philippine Consulate General batted for the exploration of two-way economic linkages between Shanxi Province and the Philippines at the International Cooperation and Investment Promotion Conference sponsored by provincial authorities on 26 May at the Kerry Hotel in Pudong.
The two officials joined the economic and commercial officers of ASEAN Consulates General in Shanghai and representatives of various enterprises and business organizations in the half-day event, organized by the Shanghai Office of the Shanxi-ASEAN Chamber of Commerce with the support of the Shanxi Provincial Bureau of Investment Promotion.
Welcoming attendees, Director Liu Su Lin of the Center of Foreign Investment Promotion and International Affairs underscored Shanxi Province’s growth and growing contribution to China’s opening up since 2017, through initiatives such as the Shanxi Transformation and Comprehensive Reform Demonstration Zone. Director Han Ying of the Shanxi Provincial Bureau of Investment Promotion reported on the ongoing construction of industrial parks across the province as “catalysts in heightening cooperation” with ASEAN countries.
Located in northern China and bordered by the provinces of Hebei, Henan, Shaanxi, and Inner Mongolia, Shanxi is shifting from its main industry of coal to high-quality development and to integration within and outside China. Its economic output was RMB 1.55 trillion (USD 229.9 billion) in 2017, averaging 6% annually between that year and 2019.
Networking at the event’s close, Shanxi representatives expressed their readiness to welcome Philippine investors in the province’s food processing industry, and raised the possibility of setting up a local office in Manila to facilitate engagement. Consul Demdem and Vice Consul Tani, for their part, discussed investment opportunities in the Philippines, particularly in the steel sector and the country’s nascent new energy vehicle industry. Further developments will be coordinated through the Philippine Embassy in Beijing and the Philippine Trade and Investment Center there, which have oversight over the province. END