US traders: Internal problems bug RP
By Tarra QuismundoInquirerLast updated 04:48am (Mla time) 11/04/2007
SEATTLE -- One of the largest business groups in the Greater Seattle area considers the Philippines to be a nation of potential, but it is hindered by internal problems...
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: Internal problems bug RP
By Tarra Quismundo
Inquirer
Last updated 04:48am (Mla time) 11/04/2007
SEATTLE --
One of the largest business groups in the Greater Seattle area considers the Philippines to be a nation of potential, but it is hindered by internal problems.
William Stafford, president of the Trade Development Alliance of Greater Seattle, said the Philippines could otherwise take a higher standing among Southeast Asian economies.
“I think the Philippines has been looked at as a country that should be higher in priority in this community (Southeast Asia) than it is... there’s always been some issues that always... just like when it’s going this way, it kinda [went downward],” Stafford said, gesturing a dip with his hands.
“We survey our people where they want to go. I wanna go where our business people, ports want to go. Vietnam comes up very high, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand. I think [it dissuades businesses] if there are internal problems in the country,” he said.
The trade alliance, a conglomerate of counties in the Greater Seattle area and the city’s busiest ports, counts aircraft-maker Boeing, Starbucks Coffee and the ports of Seattle and the nearby cities of Tacoma and Everett as stakeholders.
The group works to promote this part of the US Pacific Northwest “as one of North America’s premier international gateways and commercial centers.” It sees a productive partnership with Asia, the region being its top trading partner.
The Port of Seattle, a government corporation that operates Seattle’s cargo and passenger seaports and the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport, derives 90 percent of its business from Asia with China, Japan and South Korea as its top trading partners.
The Philippines ranks 14th on the list of the port’s 30 top trading partners in 2006 based on figures from the US Department of Commerce. The country, however, lags behind its neighbors, only edging out Cambodia in trading volume.
Thailand was ranked 5th, Indonesia was in 6th place, Hong Kong next, and Malaysia, Vietnam and Singapore were in 8th, 9th and 11th place, respectively. These countries traded at least $570 million to almost $1 billion with
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