Manila: The Philippine government issued a directive that opens the door to visits by some of its government officials to Taiwan for economic and trade purposes, as well as visits by Taiwanese officials to the Philippines. According to Focus Taiwani, the change came in Memorandum Circular No. 82, signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin and made public recently. The directive aims “to further maximize opportunities for the development and expansion of the Philippines’ priority areas of investment.”
According to Focus Taiwan, The circular amends Executive Order No. 313, issued in 1987 by then-President Corazon Aquino, which banned all government officials from visiting Taiwan or officially receiving Taiwanese delegations. This was part of Manila’s one-China policy that diplomatically recognizes the People’s Republic of China over Taiwan, officially named the Republic of China.
Under the new memorandum, the travel ban now applies only to the Philippines’ president, vice president, secretary of foreign affairs, and secretary of national defense. Other government officials may travel to Taiwan for economic, trade, and investment purposes but must use their ordinary passports and avoid using their official titles.
Before visiting Taiwan, officials must inform the de facto Philippines embassy in Taiwan, the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO), and submit a report on their travel to both MECO and the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA). The circular also eased guidelines for receiving Taiwanese delegations, allowing Philippine government officials and agencies to host them for economic, trade, and investment activities, provided they notify MECO at least five days before the visit and submit a post-visit report.
Despite these changes, the circular maintains some restrictions from 1987, stating that no agreements or memoranda of understanding may be signed with “any Taiwanese organization or agency without clearance from the DFA” and, when necessary, the Office of the President. Taiwan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) welcomed the Philippines’ renewed guidelines, noting that the decision could further enhance bilateral cooperation.
Taiwan is the Philippines’ eighth-largest export market, ninth-largest trade partner, and 10th-largest source of imports. Although official diplomatic relations ended in 1975, the Philippines and Taiwan continue to maintain close exchanges on various fronts. Additionally, Manila is the third-largest source of migrant workers to Taiwan, with around 153,000 Filipinos residing in the country as of August 2024.