Minister Joly Leads the First Creative Industries Trade Mission to China
News release
OTTAWA, April 8, 2018
To foster economic growth, remain competitive and create well-paying jobs for the middle class and everyone working hard to join it, the Government of Canada is committed to helping Canadian creators and creative entrepreneurs explore and take advantage of business opportunities in key global markets. It is under this banner that the Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage, will lead Canada’s first creative industries trade mission to China, from April 9 to 13, 2018.
The purpose of the mission, which is taking place during the Canada–China Year of Tourism 2018, is to:
- facilitate market entry for high-potential, export-ready small and medium Canadian businesses;
- promote Canadian creative industry businesses in China;
- promote Canada as an important creative industries investment partner and destination; and
- strengthen the government-to-government and people-to-people ties.
Stopping in Beijing and Shanghai, the trade mission will provide a twinning program between companies, information and mentoring sessions on navigating China’s complex market, and networking opportunities for Chinese and Canadian companies.
Minister Joly will also visit numerous Chinese creative industry businesses to advance opportunities for collaboration with Canadian businesses. She will also meet with her government counterparts in Shanghai and Beijing to identify additional areas of collaboration between Canada and China’s creative industries.
This trade mission will result in the signing of deals worth nearly $110 million. Several collaboration agreements will also be signed between Canadian and Chinese companies, which will result in additional investments and more jobs for Canadians.
Last September, Minister Joly launched Creative Canada, the first federal strategy for the future of Canada’s creative industries. As part of this initiative, the Minister announced a $125-million investment over five years to support Canada’s export strategy, which includes promoting the discovery and distribution of Canadian creative content abroad.
Quotes
“There is tremendous opportunity in China, and it is an important market for Canadian creative products and services. The goal of Canada’s first-ever Creative Industries Trade Mission is to open new markets and opportunities for Canada’s artists and creative industries, to expand their presence in the Chinese market. Canada’s creative industries are an important driver of our economy, and opening new markets will contribute to inclusive growth, create jobs and strengthen the middle class and those working hard to join it.”
—The Honourable Mélanie Joly, Minister of Canadian Heritage
Quick facts
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The demand for creative and cultural products and services in China is growing. In 2015, China’s cultural industries grew by 11 percent to 2,723.5 billion yuan (about C$525.7 billion). In 2015, they represented 3.97 percent of China’s gross domestic product, with a permanent target of 5 percent. (State Statistics Bureau data, July 2016).
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In September 2016, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and Chinese Premier Li Keqiang officially declared 2018 as the Canada–China Year of Tourism.
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China is Canada’s second-largest trading partner, and is poised to become the world’s largest economy by 2030.
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The trade delegation accompanying Minister Joly includes close to 60 companies and organizations from across the country working in all sectors of the creative industries, including music, film, performing arts, visual arts, digital content and museums, audiovisual, gaming and virtual reality/augmented reality.
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Contacts
For more information (media only), please contact:
Simon Ross
Press Secretary
Office of the Minister of Canadian Heritage
819-997-7788
Media Relations
Canadian Heritage
819-994-9101
1-866-569-6155
pch.media-media.pch@canada.ca