The Department of Tourism (DoT) wanted to go against the tide in the current imbroglio as it seeks to distance itself from the recent incident involving the arrest of a Chinese spy by Philippine authorities as it focuses on attracting Chinese tourists to the country.
“These incidents pertain to national security issues that are beyond the purview of the Department of Tourism. In general, to our mind, tourism transcends politics, geopolitical issues, race, culture, differences in opinion and the like, making tourism a very powerful force for unity as well as cultural understanding and people-to-people exchange,” Tourism Secretary Christina Garcia Frasco said during a forum.
Instead, the DoT is urging the Department of Foreign Affairs to heed their request for visa-free entry for Chinese tourists.
“The talks with the DFA have been initiated since September 2022 and we have been persistent. Engagement with the DFA continues to waive the visa of Chinese tourists,” Frasco said.
To date, an electronic visa system for foreign travelers is being provided by the DFA and the Bureau of Immigration.
Thus, the DoT aims to recover the Chinese tourism market. And of course, to ensure that the Philippines continues to be a viable and top-of-mind destination to other markets as well.
The Armed Forces of the Philippines chief of staff General Romeo Brawner recently said the military is investigating the involvement of the Chinese government in espionage following the arrest of a Chinese national and two Filipino “cohorts” suspected of being spies.
Last month, authorities retrieved a Chinese submarine drone in the waters off San Pascual, Masbate.
Brawner, however, said the military was looking into a possible connection between the spy drone and the Chinese sleeper cell.