TAIPEI (Taiwan News) — The flag carriers of Taiwan and the Philippines have agreed to expand their codesharing partnership amid growing demand post-COVID.

China Airlines (CAL) and Philippine Airlines (PAL) will work together to operate eight flight routes in a codeshare arrangement, CAL announced on Monday (July 24). Currently, there is only one such route between the two air carriers, from Taipei to Manila.

With the expanded cooperation, CAL will fly Taipei-Manila, Taipei-Cebu, and Kaohsiung-Manila routes. PAL will operate Manila-Cebu, Manila-Davao, Manila- Iloilo, Cebu-Davao, and Cebu-Iloilo routes.

The partnership allows for better connections among cities in the northern, central, and southern parts of the Philippines. Passengers from the Southeast Asian country can also travel to Europe and the U.S. via transit in Taiwan, according to CAL.

This is part of the Taiwanese flag carrier’s plan to increase its presence in the Southeast Asian market. It now flies to 15 destinations in the region with more than 150 flights a week.

At a travel expo in Manila in June, an official from the Tourism Bureau said Taiwan is seeing a surge in Philippine arrivals as the pandemic abates, per CNA. It is vying with Japan and South Korea for a share in the fierce Philippine outbound tourism market, according to the official.

Taiwan on June 30 announced a one-year extension of visa-exempt entry for nationals of the Philippines, Thailand, and Brunei. The measure is effective until July 31, 2024.