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NEWS RELEASES

November 5, 1999 (3:45 p.m. EST) No. 243

CHAN TO LEAD TRADE MISSION TO CHINA

Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific) Raymond Chan today announced that he will lead a trade mission to China from November 7 to 14.

"China, with its population of 1.2 billion people, represents a valuable market for our goods and services," said Mr. Chan. "I am pleased to travel with representatives of 35 companies that are ready to contribute outstanding technology and expertise to China's development." During the mission, Mr. Chan will be raising political, trade and economic matters, as well as good governance and the rule of law.

The first stop on the Secretary of State's mission is Shenzhen. There, the delegation will visit the city's Industrial Exhibition Centre and meet with government officials. Capital projects being planned for this Special Economic Zone will be of particular interest to Canadian engineering firms and small- and medium-sized businesses and their Chinese counterparts.

On November 9 the delegation will depart for Guangzhou, where Mr. Chan will lead a site visit to the 3rd International Environmental Fair. Information technology company representatives will meet with Guangdong Information Centre officials as well as with key members of the local business community. The full delegation will attend a luncheon hosted by the Guangdong Provincial Government. On November 10 the delegation is expected to meet with Provincial Governor Lu Ruihua and with Lin Shusen, Mayor of Guangzhou. As well, the Secretary of State will deliver a keynote address, "Beyond the Golden Mountain -- Canada Today", at a Canadian Business Forum event. Mr. Chan will also open two special events: the First Canada-Guangdong Environment Action Forum and the Second Canada-China Building Materials Forum.

On November 11 the group will travel to Foshan and Shunde, southwest of Guangzhou in Guangdong Province, where they will meet with the cities' mayors, Liang Shaotang and Feng Runsheng, and other city officials. In Foshan, the Canadian delegation will be able to explore business potential in the electronics, plastics, textile and ceramic industries. Shunde offers opportunities in the building materials, environmental products and hi-tech fields.

The delegation will spend November 12 in Jiangmen. Scheduled events include a meeting with Mayor Jiang Jin and Party Secretary Zhong Yangsheng and a presentation by the Jiangmen and Wuyi Planning Commissions. In the afternoon the delegation will have the opportunity to visit one of five counties in Jiangmen municipality, including Kaiping, Taishan, Heshan, Xinhui and Enping. Jiangmen, a Hi-tech Industrial Development Zone, is experiencing increasing momentum in "traditional" industries such as papermaking, machinery and electronics.

On November 13 the group will travel to Zhongshan, where they will be briefed by the Zhongshan Environmental and City Planning Bureau and meet with key municipal officials.

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A list of companies participating in the business delegation is attached.

For further information, media representatives may contact:

Naseem Nuraney

Office of the Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific)

(613) 995-1852

Media Relations Office

Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

(613) 995-1874

BUSINESS DELEGATION ACCOMPANYING

SECRETARY OF STATE (ASIA-PACIFIC) RAYMOND CHAN IN CHINA