(Conclusion)
Stronger ties
More than their weather (Taiwan is as humid as the Philippines and both countries share the same struggle being visited by the same typhoons during the rainy season) and culture, both countries have a significant bilateral relationship. For one, the Philippines is the 10th biggest trade partner and the eighth biggest export market to Taiwan.
In terms of tourism, the number of Taiwanese visiting the Philippines in the first five months of 2017 rose 20 percent from the previous year, making Taiwan the Philippines’ 5th largest source of overseas visitors, according to the latest data from the Department of Tourism. On the other hand, in 2016, 170,000 Filipinos visited Taiwan, up from the 130,000 in 2015 according to Mr. Lin.
In these respects, and as part of 2016 Southbound policy announced by Taiwanese President Tsai Ing-Wen, which aims to strengthen the Taiwanese economy and its relations with the member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), South Asia, Australia, and New Zealand, Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) and Taiwan Association Inc., are holding the Taiwan Expo in Manila on Sept. 29 to Oct. 1 at the SMX Convention Center.
According to Taiwan Association Inc. president Allan Lin and its honorary president Seimo Huang, the expo will be a significant platform to promote “mutual beneficial partnership” between the two countries.
Eight themed pavilions will be on display to train the spotlight on industries covering agriculture and fisheries, tourism, technology, education, and green energy.
“We want to encourage more Filipinos to visit Taiwan. We want to underscore our similarities as neighbors and what Filipinos can enjoy in our country apart from finding job opportunities. We may be a small as a nation but you’ll see that Taiwan is big in so many ways,” Lin concluded.