MANILA — Citing growing Philippine-Canada trade, Canadian International Trade Minister Francoise-Philippe Champagne has expressed optimism that the trade relations of the two countries will further improve, the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) said Wednesday.
Champagne earlier met with Chargé d’Affaires Francisco Noel Fernandez III at Parliament Hill.
During the meeting, the DFA said the Canadian minister noted Philippine Airlines’ (PAL) purchase of passenger aircraft from Montreal-based Bombardier. In July 2017, PAL added the 86-seater Bombardier Q400 to its growing fleet.
Champagne added that Bombardier also employs a significant number of Filipinos in its workforce.
Trade and investment relations between the two states has spanned many sectors, including information and communications technology, infrastructure, aerospace and defense, and cleantech focused on converting waste to renewable energy.
According to the Canadian Embassy, latest data showed that the country’s merchandise exports to the Philippines in 2016 amounted to CAD$626 million while Canadian merchandise imports from the Philippines totalled to CAD$1355.1 million. (PNA)