FAO extols contributions to economic and cultural bonds

SHANGHAI –  Outgoing Philippine Consul General in Shanghai Josel F. Ignacio paid a farewell call on the Foreign Affairs Office (FAO) on 05 November at the latter’s Headquarters on West Nanjing Road.

CG Ignacio, who has been named Philippine Ambassador to India, is concluding his assignment in Shanghai on 13 January 2024. He took up his post in Shanghai on 12 April 2021.

The Consul General was received by Deputy Director General Mr. Bei Zhaojian, Consular Affairs Director Ms. Yan Yanqiu, Deputy Director Mr. Chen Yongliang, and official Ms. Tan Lian. 

Consul General Ignacio was accompanied by Consul John Francis S. Herrera, Vice Consul Richard L. Recella, and Ms. Tang Mingxian.

DDG Bei conveyed sincere and ardent appreciation on behalf of the Shanghai Municipal Government for CG Ignacio’s active involvement in the city’s initiatives and events with the consular corps.

He lauded the Consul General’s assiduous efforts to buttress and boost economic, cultural and people-to-people bonds between the Philippines and China’s financial capital throughout his term.

In turn, Consul General Ignacio recapped the Consulate General’s major achievements during his term, including the expansion of the mission’s facilities and operations to support people-to-people exchanges, and PCG’s pioneering work on the revival of Tour Group Visas and the electronic visa for Chinese nationals. He thanked the Municipal Government for supporting the work of mission.

Special mention was made of the strong cooperation cultivated by PCG and FAO in 2022 in relation to PCG’s efforts to assist Filipinos, as Shanghai entered its challenging bout with COVID-19, culminating in a two-month lockdown.

CG Ignacio expressed gratitude as well for his having been featured by the Municipal Party paper, Jiěfàng Daily (解放日报) in October – the first Philippine Consul General to be so recognized -- on the FAO’s nomination.

The FAO thanked CG Ignacio for the PH Country Team’s full backing of the annual China International Import Expo (CIIE). CG Ignacio proudly reported the CIIE’s rise as the Philippines’ most fruitful overseas trade event, netting USD 1.1 billion in sales and orders in the most recent iteration.

Both sides agreed to support mutual investment by Filipino and Shanghainese firms, and to pursue more activities to enhance the 40-year-old sister city ties between Metro Manila and Shanghai, including reciprocal visits by officials.

In sending off the Consul General, DDG Bei conveyed the city’s best wishes, and expressed the hope that the CG Ignacio would be able to continue visiting Shanghai in the years to come.  END