‘High-level’ US trade mission to arrive in PH next week

The logo of DTI. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Trade and Industry announced that a “high-level” US trade delegation is arriving next week to enhance “commercially meaningful partnerships.”

According to DTI Foreign Trade Service Officer  Jollan Llaneza, the delegation, led by US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, will meet with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual.

DTI Foreign Trade Service Officer Jollan Llaneza said in a news forum on Saturday that the US trade mission will be headed by US Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo, who is expected to meet with President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual.

She stressed the US is one of the country’s top trading partners.

“There will be a high-level delegation comprised of 22 business delegates, C-level representatives from strategic sectors, and [the issue that will be discussed] next week is, of course, how to enhance our trade and investment relations,” Llaneza said.

“[Our goal here] is, of course, to foster [the] relationship [of] Philippine business sector with their American counterparts para po magkaroon tayo ng mga (so we could have) commercially meaningful partnerships,” she added.

In May 2023, Marcos and US President Joe Biden met at the White House in Washington where the two leaders held bilateral discussions about the economy, and security, among others.

Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual on Friday said representatives from 22 American companies have expressed keen interest in starting new investments in the Philippines,  previewing possible prospects from the US trade mission that will arrive next week.

“The idea is to do networking with our local business people and get them to matchmaking meetings,” the trade chief told reporters during a roundtable discussion in Makati. /with reports from Alden Monzon

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