Papua New Guinea, Colombia, Taiwan leaders arrive
PRIME Minister Peter O’Neill of Papua New Guinea and President Juan Manuel Santos of Colombia arrived in Manila on Monday afternoon for the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit.
Former Chinese Taipei Vice President Vincent Siew was sent by President Ma Ying-jeou as his special envoy for the leaders’ meeting.
O’Neill and Santos arrived almost simultaneously past 4 p.m., at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (Naia) and at the Villamor Air Base.
Siew, a senior political leader of Taipei, arrived earlier around 1 p.m. on a Boeing 737 China Airlines flight.
He was welcomed by the secretary to the Cabinet Jose Rene Almendras, Manila Economic and Cultural Office (Meco) Ambassador Antonio Basilio and Meco Chair Amadeo Perez.
Siew, who was vice president from 2008 to 2012, is usually tapped as special envoy to the Apec annual meeting, six of which he had attended.
The leader of Chinese Taipei does not attend the Apec summit out of courtesy to the Chinese President.
TRADE TALKS Columbian President Juan Manuel Santos speaks at the Apec CEO summit on Monday. MARIANNE BERMUDEZ
Siew represented Chinese Taipei in the 1991 Apec summit in Seoul where his country was granted membership to the organization.
He was tapped by President Ma as special envoy because of the good relationship he has established with most Apec leaders. This year, the delegation from the country will push for Chinese Taipei’s membership in the Trans-Pacific Partnership and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership.
Santos arrived at 4:15 p.m. on a Boeing 737 aircraft of the Fuerza Aerea Colombiana (Colombian Air Force) at Naia.
Santos, who was invited to the Apec summit as an observer, was welcomed by Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, Ambassador to Colombia Tito Saul Penilla and Assistant Foreign Secretary Jesus Domingo.
Papua New Guinea Prime Minister Peter O’Neill arrives for the summit. RAFFY LERMA
His arrival is historic considering that it is the first time that a Colombian president visited the Philippines since diplomatic relations were established between the two countries in 1946.
Colombia has been seeking membership in Apec since 1995 and has been participating in the organization’s summit as an observer.
Papua New Guinea’s prime minister arrived at Villamor Air Base on a Falcon 900 aircraft at around 4 p.m.
