This release was issued under a previous government.
Minister Deron Bilous and Ambassador John McCallum met with Mr. Zhang Xingcheng from the Shandong Department of Commerce (centre) and Mr. Lin Qiang from the Siwin Foods (right).
The delegation is undertaking a three-day program to explore potential business opportunities in Alberta from May 8-11. The program includes stops in Edmonton and Calgary, where they will meet a variety of Alberta business and industry leaders.
Their visit is a result of Minister Bilous’s trade mission to China last November, when the minister attended the Alberta-Shandong trade and investment seminar in Yantai city. More than 150 Alberta participants accompanied him to that seminar, meeting with more than 300 potential Chinese business partners, investors and customers, as well as government officials.
“Whether we are bringing the world to Alberta, or bringing Alberta to the world – showcasing our businesses abroad means new opportunities at home. Trade missions are critical to continue building confidence and credibility in international markets, and we are proud of the attention our local businesses are attracting from Shandong and other Asian markets.”
Deputy director-general Zhang Xingcheng from the Shandong Department of Commerce is leading the delegation. Zhang attended the seminar in Yantai last fall and also discussed furthering collaboration between Alberta and Shandong with Premier Rachel Notley and Minister Bilous in Beijing two weeks ago.
The delegation also heard from Ambassador McCallum, who delivered the keynote address during a luncheon in Edmonton. The ambassador’s remarks highlighted the importance of further developing Canada-China relations across many key areas, including public health, gender equality and economic sectors.
“Canada has much to gain through building stronger ties with China, and now is the time to act. By leveraging opportunities in key sectors like renewable energy, forestry, agriculture and tourism, we can support jobs and prosperity for more Canadians. I am pleased to see Alberta’s leadership in forging these essential relationships, and confident Albertans will see real results.”
Shandong is China’s second most populous province, home to nearly 100 million people, and is the second-largest consumer market in terms of retail sales among all mainland China provinces.