PH Consul General in Vancouver Meets with BC’s Minister of State for Trade

Consul General in Vancouver Maria Andrelita S. Austria (right) meets with Minister George Chow, British Columbia’s Ministry of State for Trade. (Vancouver PCG photo)

VANCOUVER 03 September 2018 – Consul General to Vancouver Maria Andrelita S. Austria called on British Columbia’s Minister of State for Trade George Chow on 17 August 2018 at the latter’s office.

The meeting was aimed to exchange potential cooperation between the Philippines and the province of British Columbia in various areas—from trade to backroom support and creative services, to shipbuilding and ocean technology, agriculture and education.

Consul General Austria reiterated the Consulate General in Vancouver’s invitation for British Columbia to send a trade mission to the Philippines, with Minister Chow joining the delegation.

“British Columbia is important to the Philippines as most of our trade goes through the province,” Consul General Austria told the Minister.

The Consul General informed the Minister of the participation of a Philippine delegation at the Global Buyers Mission in Whistler in September this year, Canada’s largest event dedicated to promoting value-added wood producers, where the Philippines hopes to link up with possible wood suppliers.

Citing British Columbia’s busy film industry, Consul General Austria offered the possibility of contributing through its artistic pool of animators and graphic designers. She also expressed the hope that Canada would continue to tap the Philippines for the backroom operations of its major companies.

The Consul General acknowledged Canada’s leadership in shipbuilding and ocean technology, and the Philippines’ desire to benefit from their experience and expertise in the field.

For his part, Minister Chow conveyed his eagerness to enhance cooperation in agriculture, as British Columbia is an important agricultural exporter as well as in education, where Canada can offer competitive quality studies at leading academic institutions. END

For more information, visit www.vancouverpcg.dfa.gov.ph / www.vancouverpcg.org / https://www.facebook.com/PHinVancouver.