BC Premier Christy Clark opened a new trade and investment office in the Philippines as part of her trade mission to the region.
Situated in Manila, the B.C. Trade and Investment Representative Office is the first office in Southeast Asia, and Clark said it will help “position B.C. to capitalize on the many opportunities in the Philippines, which has one of the fastest growing economies in the world.”
This brings to 12 the number of such offices in the world, including four in China, three in India, and one each in Japan, South Korea, Europe and the United States.
“The office opening marks a new chapter in B.C.’s relationship with the Philippines, supporting increased flow of goods, services, ideas and people between our two jurisdictions,” said Clark, who also visited South Korea and Japan during her trade mission.
More than 135,000 B.C. residents identify themselves as Filipino.
The Philippines is among the fastest-growing economies in the world, with a GDP growth of 6.3 per cent expected this year.
Last year, BC exported $190 million worth of goods to the Philippines.