Press Release No.029-03
24 January 2003

PEOPLE-TO-PEOPLE EXCHANGES WITH TAIWANESE CONSISTENT WITH ONE-CHINA POLICY – OPLE

In response to queries, mostly from media, about the arrival of about 22 Taiwanese individuals, a number of whom are members of the Taiwanese Yuan (Assembly), Foreign Secretary Blas F. Ople said today that such unofficial visits do actually mirror the same situation that obtains between the Chinese and their brethren across the Taiwan Strait.

“Such people-to-people or business-to-business exchanges take place regularly between China and Taiwan, with each of them even designating specialized agencies, such as the ARATS (Association for Relations Across Taiwan Strait) on the Chinese side and the SEF (Straits Exchange Foundation) on the Taiwanese side”, Ople explained.

The Foreign Affairs Secretary was reassuring some people who initially expressed some concern over what they thought may be a possible violation of the Philippines’ decades-old policy of recognizing the People’s Republic of China as the sole representative of the Chinese people.

“Besides, we take pains to invite tourists and potential investors to the country; so, since tourism almost invariably precedes investment, let them enjoy our golf courses even as they may also scout for business opportunities – of which there are plenty hereabouts”, Ople added.