By Anna Gabriela A. Mogato
A CHINESE global online shopping company is looking to enter the Philippines amid the continued growth of the local e-commerce market.
In an interview with BusinessWorld at the sidelines of the China-Philippines Dialogue 2017 in Makati City on Oct. 26, JD.com, Inc. Vice-President Jerome Ma said the Beijing-based company is “positively and actively looking” for opportunities to expand its operations in the Philippines.
“JD, now we are in Indonesia, we are in Thailand but the reason why I’m here is the message that we trying to enter the Philippines. Just now,” Mr. Ma said during the panel discussion.
“The president of the Chamber [of Commerce of the Philippine Islands] (Jose Luis U. Yulo, Jr.) said the trade between China and the Philippines is kind of negative – going into the China way. Me coming over here to try to buy products, brands, services – we also have the solution (to balance trade),” he added.
Philippine Statistics Authority data showed the Philippines incurred a $4.74-billion deficit in trade with China for the first eight months of 2017.
JD.com serves as an online shopping site and delivery service, boasting 250 million “middle and upper-level class” customers worldwide.
Mr. Ma encouraged the business community present during the China-Philippines Dialogue to take part in e-commerce, citing its contribution to China’s growth.
“We have a JD worldwide that (sic) we purchased brands, services, products, and you do not have to register in China to sell your products. You only have to register legally. I said legally, here in the Philippines,” he said.
