Hangzhou, China - 7 November 2014
With 31 provinces and special administrative regions, each with mid-size country populations, China represents a cluster of mid-sized economies within a single market. Expanding Canada's commercial footprint across these economies is critical to strengthening our presence in China, thereby enhancing bilateral trade ties.
The Government of Canada is committed to helping Canadian businesses compete and succeed internationally. To this end, on November 7, 2014, Prime Minister Stephen Harper announced the opening of four new trade offices in the Chinese cities of Hangzhou, Xi'an, Xiamen and Tianjin, expanding Canada's existing trade network in China to 15 with 100 trade commissioners. The announcement was made during the Prime Minister's visit to China, from November 5 to 10, 2014.
With average growth rates far surpassing those of Shanghai and Beijing, each of the four cities and surrounding area selected are the new Chinese "engines of growth," and represent tremendous opportunities for Canadian businesses.
The new trade offices will help Canadians assess market potential, find qualified business contacts and resolve business problems.
Hangzhou is the capital and largest city of Zhejiang Province in eastern China. The city's metropolitan area is the fourth-largest in China, with over 21 million people. Hangzhou's economy has developed rapidly since the early 1990s. The Trade Commissioner Service has identified opportunities for Canadian companies in the greater Hangzhou region in the life sciences, information technology and food processing sectors.
The capital of Shaanxi Province, Xi'an is the most populous city in Northwest China with more than 6.5 million inhabitants. According to a July 2012 report by the Economist Intelligence Unit, Xi'an is one of 13 emerging megacities, or megalopolises, in China. Canada's Trade Commissioner Service has identified opportunities for Canadian businesses in the greater Xi'an region in the information technology, aerospace, agri-food and pharmaceuticals sectors.
Xiamen is located in Fujian Province, has a population of 3.5 million people and is ranked 42nd in the world in terms of projected absolute gross domestic product (GDP) growth between 2012 and 2025 by Foreign Policy's study on dynamic cities. Industries of focus in Xiamen include high-value sectors, such as information technology, and electronics and chemical processing. Additionally, Xiamen has a major deep-sea port and is an important export centre for the wider region.
With a population of 11.1 million, Tianjin, a municipality directly under the central government, is ranked 3rd in the world in terms of projected absolute GDP growth between 2012 and 2025 by Foreign Policy's study on dynamic cities. The Trade Commissioner Service has identified opportunities for Canadian businesses in the greater Tianjin region in the automotive, aerospace, medicine, energy and finance sectors.
