DEFENSE contractor
Saab of Sweden wants to supply military equipment to the Philippines, amid
efforts by the Duterte administration to reduce the country’s reliance on US
defense supplies.
Swedish
Ambassador-designate Harald Fries on Friday said the Saab Group opened a new
office in Manila on Wednesday.
“They are looking
into business partnerships here,” he told reporters in Malacañang.
Fries, who earlier
told a roundtable discussion with The Manila Times staff that a number of
Swedish firms were eyeing investments in the Philippines, said Saab could offer
coastal surveillance equipment and even submarines to the Philippines.
“This company, Saab,
they have very advanced civilian systems and products which I think could be
very useful for the Philippines. For instance, air traffic control for airports
or maritime traffic management and surveillance systems,” he said.
Sweden has reopened
its embassy in Manila, eight years after shutting it down because of budget
cuts caused by the global financial crisis.
Asked whether Swedish
businessmen had concerns with the new administration, Fries said: “I haven’t
heard from any Swedish businessmen any concrete hesitancies or concern about
doing business here. On the contrary, it’s been very positive comments that I
have heard.”
The Philippines has
“many positive factors” that attract Swedish businessmen, including a stable
economy, the diplomat said.
“It’s a country with
more than a hundred million people, and combine that with high growth rates. I
mean anyone would like to come here and do business with such a huge and
growing market, and stable inflation, sound fiscal situation, and very
importantly, a young talented, well-educated, and English-speaking population,”
Fries said.
The Swedish envoy
cited the Duterte administration’s 10-point socioeconomic program.
“Tax reform is in the
pipeline. Reduced restrictions in foreign ownership, we’re also looking forward
to that. You have a very large remittances coming in every year, which means
that adds to stability of the economy and it adds to consumption power, which
is a very positive factor,” he said.
“I also think that
the President’s anti-poverty programs are very welcome. I mean in the long run,
it’s critical for any country to get rid of poverty. It’s good not only for the
poor people but for the whole society of course,” he added.
Aside from economic
cooperation, Sweden wants to increase “people-to-people exchange” between the
two countries.
“Look at tourism for
instance. I think there are more than 15 times as many Swedes visiting Thailand
than visiting the Philippines, which I find hard to understand,” Fries said.
“I’m sure that maybe
with the better infrastructure here in this country, we will see many, many
more Swedes coming to visit the Philippines and enjoying your beautiful
islands,” he added.
Original post: manilatimes.net
Maybe this time they will finally get the
Gripen fighter jet as they wished
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