February 23, 2022 — The Maritime Port Bureau (MPB), Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) stated today (1/28) that Taiwan and the Philippines have signed the “Memorandum of Understanding Concerning Maritime Cooperation” to actively increase cooperation in port affairs, promote the development and management of ports, and accelerate the internationalization of the development of maritime industries in Taiwan.

The memorandum was signed separately in different places by Ambassador Peiyung Hsu of the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in the Philippines and Mr. Wilfredo B. Fernandez, Chairman and Resident Representative of the Manila Economic and Cultural Office. The signing was witnessed by Yeh Hsieh-Lung, Director-General of the MPB and Mr. Jay Daniel R. Santiago, General Manager of the Philippines Port Authority.

Yeh Hsieh-Lung stated that in coordination with the New Southbound Policy in Marine Shipping of the government, communication platforms and partnerships with relevant maritime institutions have been actively established. The Philippines is the closest neighboring country to Taiwan, and the two countries have frequent business and trade interactions, making the Philippines an important partner of Taiwan in maritime transport and ports. According to the memorandum of understanding on cooperation, the governments of Taiwan and the Philippines confirm the partnership of the two countries and will jointly establish a communication mechanism for ports and relevant affairs. Furthermore, both countries will dedicate themselves to issues such as port development and maintenance, port management, port security and disaster prevention, and the maintenance of port environments, thereby strengthening the actual interaction between the two countries and their partnership in business and trade.

Yeh Hsieh-Lung emphasized that the global maritime industries have been deeply impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic since it first emerged in 2020, and signing the “Memorandum of Understanding Concerning Maritime Cooperation” may revitalize the port development and the maritime market for Taiwan and the Philippines in the post pandemic era. It is hoped that Taiwan and the Philippines will jointly organize international seminars or forums in the future to exchange ideas on issues such as the development of port policy and better international connections in port affairs.