Taiwan ex-VP Siew leaves Manila after Apec summit

Taiwan envoy Vincent Siew       Noel Celis/Pool Photo via AP

Former Vice President of Taiwan Vincent Siew left the Philippines on Friday after attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (Apec) summit in Manila.

READ: Taiwan ex-VP Vincent Siew now in Manila for Apec summit

He departed from the Ninoy Aquino International Airport shortly before 11 a.m.

Siew, who served as vice president of Taiwan from 2008 to 2012, represented President Ma Ying-jeou in the Apec summit.

He has previously attended a total of six Apec meetings as minister of economic affairs and representative of the Chinese Taipei government.

READ: Taiwan will send ex-VP Siew to attend Apec in Manila, says Teco

According to China’s “One China Policy,” only a representative of the Chinese Taipei government, not its president, can sit during Apec meetings.

Citing a statement from President Ma’s office, a report from the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office said Siew was chosen to represent Chinese Taipei because he is “well-versed in economic and trade diplomacy, and multilateral trade negotiations.”

The Philippines and Taiwan recently signed a much-awaited fisheries pact, which aimed to reduce disputes in their overlapping territorial waters. RAM