Minister Sidhu advances trade, investment and economic cooperation during visit to South China

April 16, 2026 - Guangzhou, China - Global Affairs Canada

The Honourable Maninder Sidhu, Minister of International Trade concluded the first visit of a Canadian Minister to South China since 2018, where he built on Prime Minister Mark Carney’s visit to Beijing earlier this year, advanced trade diversification, and delivered tangible outcomes for Canadian businesses, workers and exporters.

During the visit, Minister Sidhu held bilateral meetings with Vice Premier He Lifeng and Hainan Party Secretary Feng Fei to identify new avenues to expand market access and commercial opportunities for Canadian businesses in China.

While in Haikou, Minister Sidhu led Canada’s participation in the sixth China International Consumer Products Expo (CICPE) as the Guest Country of Honour. He conveyed Canada’s appreciation to China for this designation and reaffirmed Canada’s commitment to deepening the broader Canada–China trade relationship. With a record delegation of nearly 40 Canadian companies, the Canadian pavilion showcased Canada’s strengths in consumer products, agri-food, fish and seafood, health and wellness, and lifestyle goods while underscoring CICPE’s role as a key platform for Canadian brands to build connections in China.

At the CICPE, Minister Sidhu also witnessed the signing of 24 commercial agreements and memorandums of understanding between Canadian and Chinese companies, representing millions of Canadian dollars in new partnerships.

Minister Sidhu and RJ Sigurdson, Alberta’s Minister of Agriculture and Irrigation, participated in the Taste of Canada event, which featured high-quality and sustainable Canadian beef food products. The event highlighted the restoration of Canadian beef exports to China, which was a deliverable from Prime Minister Carney’s visit to Beijing.

Minister Sidhu also met with other potential and current investors in Canada and Canadian and Chinese companies, including with Alibaba Group and Jingdong Group, corporations running two of the world’s largest e-commerce platforms serving over a billion Chinese consumers, to discuss how Canadian businesses can utilize their online platforms to export more high-quality Canadian goods to China.

In Guangzhou, Minister Sidhu engaged with the following leading Chinese electric vehicle manufacturers: BYD, XPeng and Guangzhou Automobile Group. Minister Sidhu discussed market-entry pathways under Canada’s electric vehicle import quota, regulatory supply chain requirements, and longer-term opportunities for investment and collaboration in Canada’s clean transportation ecosystem.

He also met with leading Canadian and Chinese firms in the region to advance trade and investment opportunities, and participated in business receptions, including with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in South China, underscoring strong commercial and people‑to‑people connections.

Canada’s engagement in South China reflects a practical, results-oriented approach to expanding trade, supporting Canadian exporters, attracting investment and advancing shared economic interests.