Taiwan might lengthen the duration of work visas and open a path to permanent residency for Filipino workers to expand the nation’s migrant workforce, Minister of Foreign Affairs Joseph Wu (吳釗燮) said.
He made the remarks during an interview with the Manila-based English-language newspaper Philippine Star published yesterday.
As of April, Taiwan was home to 154,000 Filipino migrant workers who made up 21 percent of the legal migrant workforce, Ministry of Labor data showed.
Photo: Tu Chien-jung, Taipei Times
“The discussion has been under way for some time. And they [Filipino workers] might even be able to apply for permanent residency here in Taiwan,” Wu was quoted as saying.
“That is under discussion, but I won’t be able to give you the details before decisions are made,” he added.
Filipino workers are “an integral part of Taiwanese society” and their presence in Taiwan is appreciated, Wu said.
Manila could consider granting visa-free entry privileges to Taiwanese travelers to reciprocate the proposed extension to Filipino workers, Wu said.
“If the Philippine government can do that, I am sure it will make it so much more convenient and easy for Taiwan to consider the extension of visa[-free entry for Filipinos],” he said.
Taiwan’s visa-free entry program covering Philippine travelers is to expire at the end of next month. The two governments are to re-evaluate the program for renewal, the newspaper said.
Regarding rising tensions between Manila and Beijing, Wu said Taiwan and the Philippines should enter some form of security cooperation, as the two countries face the same threat.
Wu refused to elaborate on the nature of possible security cooperation, saying that he cannot talk about details of possible arrangements, but the issue is “one of the areas we should think about.”
Collaboration in coast guard operations and disaster response are other areas where cooperation is possible, he said.
Taiwan welcomes the US’ decision to bolster the defense capabilities of the Philippines by various means, including establishing new military installations under the Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, Wu said.
Asked if setting up additional US bases in the Philippines could be seen as provocative by Beijing, he said: “What is causing provocation in this region is China’s expansionism.”
Should China attack Taiwan, the Philippines could be the next target in Beijing’s cross hairs, Wu said.
“We think that the best way for us at this moment is for Taiwan and other claimants of the South China Sea to enter into peaceful research of the natural resources or engage in scientific endeavors together or jointly develop the resources,” he said.
Taipei hopes that Taiwan-Philippines relations would improve under Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr, whose calls for regional peace and stability were welcomed by many Taiwanese, he added.
“As long as there is a desire on the part of the Philippines, Taiwan will be there to work together with the Philippines,” Wu said, adding that the Philippines is the nation’s closest neighbor.
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