Iloilo City Mayor Jose Espinosa III welcomed executives from SITC Philippines, Inc., a subsidiary of Shanghai-based SITC International Holding Company Ltd., and representatives from the Chinese consulate at the City Hall earlier this week, where the shipping company indicated intentions of establishing a hub in Iloilo City to facilitate direct cargo shipments to and from China.

“We would be very thankful to have a port hub direct from China,” the mayor said. “Hopefully, we can also put up a Chinese consulate here.”

The consulate officials present at the meeting are assigned to the office in Cebu City.

The SITC shipping group operates 72 vessels and covers 62 service routes to 12 countries./WDJ