UK minister for Asia Pacific in town for bilateral meets

MANILA, Philippines - A ranking British official is in town in a bid to boost bilateral relations between the UK and the Philippines as the former seeks new partners ahead of its official exit from the European Union (EU). 

Alok Sharma, the UK’s minister for Asia and the Pacific, is in Manila for three days of talks on trade, prosperity, and security in the Philippines. 

“The UK and Philippines have a long-standing and strong relationship, with links that get ever stronger,” Sharma said.

“As we leave the European Union we have a great opportunity to work ever more closely with partners in Asia and Philippines will be key among that,” he added.

Last June, Britons voted to leave the EU economic bloc, ushering in a new leadership that is preparing to activate the two-year exit period by March next year.

The so-called “Brexit” initially created financial worries across the globe amid concerns in protectionism, but at the same time, Sharma said it opens up opportunities.

“More than 17,000 Britons live in the Philippines and trade between our countries continue to grow,” Sharma said.

“The next few days will be an important chance to discuss trade, security and the rule of law,” he added.

Sharma is set to meet with Vice President Leni Robredo and a number of other senior politicians, as well as the British Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (BCCP) and other business leaders.

“There is a continuing interest in the (ASEAN) region, and of that, even more interest in the Philippines,” BCCP chair Chris Nelson said in a briefing last Friday.

His visit is the second for a British official after the Brexit vote. Last August, Richard Graham, trade envoy, also went to the country.

The visit also comes in the year the UK and Philippines are celebrating 70 years of diplomatic relations.

Last year, exports of UK goods to the Philippines grew by more than a third, census data showed. Bilateral trade between the two countries is worth around $1.8 billion annually.

The UK also continues to be the highest European investor in the country with a net foreign direct investment stock of over $5 billion.