Biz leaders fear hostage fiasco will affect trade ties with China

CEBU, Philippines – The Cebu business community is urging the government to be prudent in the investigation of the hostage drama, which left eight Chinese nationals dead and others wounded, saying the outcome of the investigation is very crucial in patching up the relationship of the Philippines and China.

Cebu Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCCI) vice president for external affairs and relations division Nestor Archival said that the incident, isolated it may be, will have an effect on the relationship between CCCI and their counterparts in Hong Kong and China.

"In the meantime, there will be hesitation, chamber to chamber. (The Hong Kong business chamber) will be hesitant to receive us and we (CCCI) are also hesitant to visit them," he told The Freeman in an interview.

A delegation composed of 22 businessmen from Cebu visited Shanghai and Beijing two weeks ago for a business matching trip, during which CCCI signed a memorandum of agreement with the China-ASEAN Business Council (CABC), to further strengthen the friendly cooperation among their members.

"Close relationship, mutual complementary, equality and mutual assistance and common development are the main principles of the agreement. CCCI is fortunate and glad to have a partnership with CABC. It encourages networking between CCCI members and CABC's in identifying business and investment projects in China and in the Philip-pines," CCCI president Samuel Chioson said in a statement.

The partnership expects to have mutual support for organizing the promotion seminar, exhibition, mutual business visits and other kinds of economic and trade exchanges as well as assisting members of other side to develop the market and find suitable business partners in China and the Philippines.

Archival said that tie-ups between Cebuano and Chinese companies happened during the visit, which was before Rolando Mendoza took hostage Chinese tourists on-board a tourist bus at the Quirino grandstand.

He said that the company to company relationship may not be that affected, especially when contracts or agreements have been signed.

"But chamber to chamber, there will be hesitancy from both parties. Although in the long-run, especially if China is satisfied with the investigation, we are confident that eve-rything will go back to normal. The government will just have to conduct with prudence the investigation," Archival said. (FREEMAN)