Delegates from business, diplomacy, government and academe, as well as members of the public, will trade ideas on international trade between the Pacific Northwest and Asia at a conference in Victoria later this month.
Organized by the Victoria branch of the Canadian International Council, a non-partisan, independent group aimed at strengthening Canada’s role in global affairs, the Oct. 28 event at the Union Club will bring together 120 delegates. Topics range from international trade and regional synergies to energy and environmental issues.
Speakers include B.C. Minister of International Trade Teresa Wat, the minister responsible for the Asia Pacific Strategy; and Stewart Beck, incoming president and CEO of the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada and former Canadian High Commissioner to India.
The conference is timely as interest continues to grow in trade with Asia and the province’s liquefied natural gas strategy unfolds.
Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Minister Steve Thomson is leading a forestry delegation to China, Japan and Korea Oct. 7-18, with executives from forest companies and associations.
China is B.C.’s second-largest market for softwood lumber, after the U.S. Last year, China received 26 per cent of B.C.’s softwood lumber exports totalling $1.4 billion. Japan bought 15 per cent, worth $825 million.
Premier Christy Clark is also leading a trade mission to China, Japan and Korea for 13 days in November. The goal of the mission is to showcase B.C. as a trading partner and a good place to invest, the premier has said.
For more on the conference, go to opencanada.org/event/victoria-branch-conference-2014/.
