UK wants to strengthen trade ties with Phl

The United Kingdom (UK) is looking to grow bilateral trade with the Philippines by promoting greater use of its trade preference scheme by Filipino exporters and collaboration on technology and artificial intelligence (AI).

- By LOUELLA DESIDERIO

"The UK-Philippines trade relationship at the moment is worth £2.8 billion and we're absolutely committed to growing this," UK trade commissioner for Asia-Pacific Martin Kent said in a media roundtable.

Lindsey Gilbert-Crouch, director of trade and investment at the British Embassy, said the greater use by Philippine exporters of the Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS), which removes tariffs and simplifies trade rules for over 90 percent of goods entering the UK, is seen to help boost trade.

"We are very pleased to be working with the government of the Philippines to try to increase utilization," she said.