A Taiwan trade fair yesterday opened in the Philippines, with organizers setting their sights on US$50 million in business opportunities.
More than 140 Taiwanese enterprises are participating in the three-day Taiwan Expo, said the government-sponsored Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), which organized the event with the International Trade Administration.
The expo's themes are "Green and Sustainability," "Agritech and Aquatech," "Health and Wellness," "Smart Technology" and "Intelligent Lifestyle," the organizers said.
Photo: Liao Chia-ning, Taipei Times
The expo began with displays of freestyle basketball and Taiwanese street dancing, symbolizing cooperation between Taiwan and the Philippines, they said.
The opening ceremony was led by TIATRA chairman James Huang (黃志芳) and Wilson Tecson, a board member of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office.
Speaking to reporters after the ceremony, Huang said that the international trade landscape has changed significantly in the six years since the last Taiwan Expo in 2019.
Amid restructuring of global supply chains and growing geopolitical tensions, the Philippine government and business sector have been focusing more closely on Taiwanese technologies and solutions, he said.
In 2017 and 2019, the Taiwan Expo resulted in trade deals of more than US$50 million, Huang said, adding that the figure would be no less this year, enhancing economic ties between Taiwan and the Philippines.
The Philippines, Taiwan's nearest neighbor in Southeast Asia, has a population of 110 million people, indicating significant consumer power, he said, adding that it is attracting the attention of an increasing number of Taiwanese companies amid supply chain restructuring.
Meanwhile, Representative to the Philippines Wallace Chow (周民淦) said at the expo that the Philippine government has been pushing telecom infrastructure development, green energy, agricultural product processing and industrial zones.
These efforts are being made in tandem with Taiwan's development of its information and communications expertise, green technologies and smart manufacturing, Chow said.
He said he hoped that the two sides would share information on industrial development, creating a win-win situation.
Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) president Enunina Mangio said that the PCCI strongly supports efforts by Taiwan and the Philippines to establish a comprehensive and lasting partnership, which business leaders and PCCI members are encouraged to join.
The expo's Health and Wellness pavilion is promoting wider access to healthcare. It features international referrals, specialty health services, high-end health checks, artificial intelligence (AI) diagnosis, long-distance health monitoring, information and communications, and big data.
The Agritech and Aquatech pavilion highlights a comprehensive technology chain, from production to transportation and consumption.
It focuses on applications such as the Internet of Things and AI, and features cold chain logistics and refrigerated storage expertise, which TAITRA said would help to enhance the resilience and sustainability of the Philippine agricultural and fishery industries.
Economic ties between Taipei and Manila have grown over the past few years.
Last year, Taiwan was the Philippines' 11th largest trading partner with bilateral trade totaling US$6.71 billion, government data shows.
In the first seven months of this year, bilateral trade rose 8.5 percent from a year earlier, making Taiwan the Philippines' 10th largest trading partner, the data shows.
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