Philippines Eases Travel Restrictions on Government Officials Visiting Taiwan

Taiwan welcomed Manila’s decision, saying it will deepen bilateral ties between the two sides.

Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. attends the 25th ASEAN-South Korea Summit during the 44th and 45th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summits in Vientiane, Laos, on Oct. 10, 2024. Nhac Nguyen/AFP via Getty Images

Filipino President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. has eased decades-old travel restrictions, opening the door for some government officials from his country to visit Taiwan and allowing visits from Taiwanese officials to the Philippines.

Marcos’s order, known as Memorandum Circular No. 82, was signed by Executive Secretary Lucas Bersamin on April 15. The circular, which was made public on April 21, stated that the change was made to “further maximize opportunities for the development and expansion of the Philippines’ priority areas of investment.”

The Philippines and Taiwan are not diplomatic allies, but the two sides maintain an unofficial relationship via the Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) in Taipei and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office (TECO) in Manila. In recent years, the two governments have come under intensifying military coercion from the Chinese communist regime.

The circular reduces the travel limitations imposed under Executive Order No. 313, issued by Filipino President Corazon Aquino in 1987.

The 1987 order prohibited all Philippine government officials from making official trips to Taiwan, receiving Taiwanese officials, or carrying out any official activity related to Taiwan without approval from the Department of Foreign Affairs. It also stated Manila’s diplomatic recognition of China and that “Taiwan is an integral part of Chinese territory.”

Under Marcos’s order, the travel ban now applies to the Philippines’ president, vice president, secretary of foreign affairs, and secretary of national defense.

Other Philippine government officials may travel to Taiwan for “economic, trade and investment purposes,” the circular stated, but they are required to travel with their “ordinary passports without using their official titles.”

Before their departure, they must inform MECO of their trip’s purpose, and after their trip’s end, submit a report to both MECO and the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), according to the circular.

Philippine government officials and agencies may host Taiwanese delegations for “economic, trade and investment purposes,” according to the circular. These officials and agencies must notify MECO at least five days before the arrival of the delegations and submit a post-visit report to MECO and the DFA.

“No agreements, memoranda of understanding, exchange of notes or similar documents shall be concluded with any Taiwanese organization or agency without clearance from the DFA,” the circular states.

Taiwanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung welcomed Manila’s decision to ease travel restrictions, according to a statement. Lin said that the change supports Taiwan’s diplomacy efforts to deepen substantive cooperation with the Philippines

The ministry said that Taiwan is the Philippines’ eighth-largest export market, ninth-largest trade partner, and 10th-largest source of imports.

“Taiwan will continue working together with the Philippines and other democratic allies to contribute to regional prosperity, peace, and stability,” the ministry said.

On April 21, MECO issued a statement saying the ease of travel restrictions “will reduce barriers and improve transparency that will attract greater Taiwanese investment while at the same time support shared priorities such as resilient supply chains, innovation, and sustainable development.”

“This year marks the 50th anniversary of the Philippines-Taiwan relations and it’s only fitting that we pave the way for stronger and more robust ties with Taiwan that will benefit all parties, while ensuring an all-inclusive approach that safeguards policy space for legitimate public interests,” MECO added.

Taiwanese Minister of Foreign Affairs Lin Chia-lung answers questions from the media during an international press briefing in Taipei on July 19, 2024. I-hwa Cheng/AFP via Getty Images

In January 2024, China reacted angrily after Marcos took to social media platform X to congratulate the winner of Taiwan’s presidential election.

“On behalf of the Filipino people, I congratulate President-elect Lai Ching-te on his election as Taiwan’s next President,” Marcos wrote at the time. “We look forward to close collaboration, strengthening mutual interests, fostering peace, and ensuring prosperity for our peoples in the years ahead.”

In response, China’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs accused Marcos of “blatantly” interfering in its internal affairs and summoned the Philippine ambassador to China, Jaime FlorCruz, “to lodge serious démarche.”

“We suggest President Marcos read more to develop a proper understanding of the ins and outs of the Taiwan question and come to a right conclusion,” the ministry said.

China considers Taiwan part of its territory and does not recognize the legitimacy of Taiwan’s democratically elected government. In reality, Taiwan is a de facto sovereign nation, with its own military, constitution, and currency.