Taiwan sanctions to cost Manila $300m
The sanctions that Taiwan imposed on the Philippines after a maritime shooting incident that left one fisherman dead are expected to result in about $300 million in lost revenue per year for Manila.
After the incident, and despite an official apology by Philippine president Benigno Aquino III, Taiwan announced 11 retaliatory measures against Manila on May 16. The sanctions, all effective immediately, include a freeze on the hiring of Filipino workers, the recall of Taipei’s envoy in Manila, a demand that the Philippine envoy to Taipei return home, the imposition of barriers to tourism and the suspension of various government exchange and cooperation programmes in trade and research.
Taiwan’s Council of Labour Affairs said the hiring freeze included a refusal to approve applications by Filipino workers seeking employment in Taiwan and a ban on Filipinos who had already obtained employment letters and working permits from entering Taiwan.
The hiring freeze would make half of the expected revenue loss. Another big factor is tourism. About 210,000 Taiwanese visited the Philippines in 2012, according to the Taiwan Tourism Bureau, making the island one of the top 10 sources of visitors to the Philippines. A rough estimate showed they had spent at least $125 million on airfares and hotel expenses in 2012.
Taiwan also launched a military drill in waters near northern Philippines on May 16.
The US Department of State said that it was concerned by the increase in tensions between its two close partners and urged them to resolve their differences as expeditiously as they could.
[caption id="attachment_9154" align="alignleft" width="300"] Taiwan has launched a military drill near the northern Philippines[/caption] The sanctions that Taiwan imposed on the Philippines after a maritime shooting incident that left one fisherman dead are expected to result in about $300 million in lost revenue per year for Manila. After the incident, and despite an official apology by Philippine president Benigno Aquino III, Taiwan announced 11 retaliatory measures against Manila on May 16. The sanctions, all effective immediately, include a freeze on the hiring of Filipino workers, the recall of Taipei's envoy in Manila, a demand that the Philippine envoy to Taipei...
The sanctions that Taiwan imposed on the Philippines after a maritime shooting incident that left one fisherman dead are expected to result in about $300 million in lost revenue per year for Manila.
After the incident, and despite an official apology by Philippine president Benigno Aquino III, Taiwan announced 11 retaliatory measures against Manila on May 16. The sanctions, all effective immediately, include a freeze on the hiring of Filipino workers, the recall of Taipei’s envoy in Manila, a demand that the Philippine envoy to Taipei return home, the imposition of barriers to tourism and the suspension of various government exchange and cooperation programmes in trade and research.
Taiwan’s Council of Labour Affairs said the hiring freeze included a refusal to approve applications by Filipino workers seeking employment in Taiwan and a ban on Filipinos who had already obtained employment letters and working permits from entering Taiwan.
The hiring freeze would make half of the expected revenue loss. Another big factor is tourism. About 210,000 Taiwanese visited the Philippines in 2012, according to the Taiwan Tourism Bureau, making the island one of the top 10 sources of visitors to the Philippines. A rough estimate showed they had spent at least $125 million on airfares and hotel expenses in 2012.
Taiwan also launched a military drill in waters near northern Philippines on May 16.
The US Department of State said that it was concerned by the increase in tensions between its two close partners and urged them to resolve their differences as expeditiously as they could.
