Prime Minister Stephen Harper today visited Cuntan Port in Chongqing, China where he welcomed the first ever shipment of Canadian pork through the facility. Chongqing is a vibrant city in Southwest China that is rapidly becoming a hub for Canadian exports to the region.
“As trade between Canada and China intensifies, commercial flows are moving beyond Beijing, Shanghai and Hong Kong to dynamic emerging cities such as Chongqing that provide more direct access to important markets in China’s Southwest,” said Prime Minister Harper. “Today I was pleased to witness the first container shipment of Canadian Pork ever to arrive at Cuntan Port in Chongqing. It is a milestone that shows how Canada is using its Asia Pacific Gateway, and new and strategic trade corridors in China to open markets and create jobs and economic growth back home.”
The Cuntan Port will also soon receive the first containerized cargo of soybeans which is already making its way across Canada from Manitoba. The soybeans will be the first agricultural shipment from Canada’s heartland to clear customs directly at the Cuntan Port on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, serving China’s rapidly-growing interior.
While in Chongqing, the Prime Minister also announced the upgrade of Canada’s Consulate in Chongqing to a Consulate General which will provide a broader range of services including trade, public affairs, and consular services.
“It is a real pleasure to personally announce the opening of a new Consulate General here in Chongqing,” added the Prime Minister. “It underscores the strong commitment that Canada has to China and positions our country to take advantage of the phenomenal commercial potential in a number of regions.”
Canada's Consulate General in Chongqing is responsible for Canadian interests in the provinces of Sichuan, Yunnan, Guizhou, as well as in Chongqing Special Municipality.
Chongqing imports from Canada reached $28.2 million in 2011, an increase of 57.5 percent from 2010, and demand for high-quality agricultural commodities and natural resources is increasing. In the first 11 months of 2011, the value of Canadian pork exports to China was $178.9 million, an increase of 267 percent from the same period in 2010.
