Headquarters Taipei, Taiwan | ||
Formed 1974 (as Centro de Cervantes) Jurisdiction Republic of China (Taiwan) Agency executive Francisco de Borja Rengifo Llorens, Director General Website Cámara de Comercio Española | ||
The Spanish Chamber of Commerce (Spanish: Cámara de Comercio Española) (Chinese: 西班牙商務辦事處; pinyin: Xībānyá Shāngwù Bànshì Chù) represents the interests of Spain in Taiwan in the absence of formal diplomatic relations, functioning as a de facto embassy. Its counterpart in Spain is the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Spain in Madrid.
It also has a Consular Section, which is under the jurisdiction of the Spanish Consulate General in Manila in the Philippines.
The Chamber is headed by the Director General, Francisco de Borja Rengifo Llorens.
History
The organisation was first established in 1974, as the Centro de Cervantes. Previously, Spain recognised Taiwan as the Republic of China, and was represented by an Embassy in Taipei. There were close relations between the governments of Francisco Franco and Chiang Kai-shek, both of which were anti-communist. However, diplomatic relations were severed in 1973 when Spain recognised the People's Republic of China, leading to the establishment of the organisation, under the supervision of the Spanish Federation of Industry and Commerce.