NEWS RELEASES
CHAN TO VISIT CHINA
May 25, 2000 (2:00 p.m. EDT) No. 117
CHAN TO VISIT CHINA
Secretary of State (Asia-Pacific) Raymond Chan today announced that he will visit China from May 28 to June
8. Mr. Chan will be accompanied by Gurmant Grewal, Member of Parliament (Surrey Central) and Angela
Vautour, Member of Parliament (Beauséjour - Petitcodiac).
During the visit, Mr. Chan will discuss a wide range of bilateral issues, covering political, trade and economic
aspects of the relationship, as well as good governance and the rule of law. The itinerary includes Beijing, the
Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region, and the Tibetan Autonomous Region. In Beijing and Xinjiang, Mr. Chan
will lead a business delegation of over a dozen Canadian companies representing a range of Canadian
industries and services.
"Our agenda in China reflects the multi-faceted nature of Canadian interests in that country, bolstered by 30
years of diplomatic relations," said Mr. Chan. "I intend to assure our hosts of our ongoing support for co-operation on development assistance, trade and investment. The visit to Tibet is integral to the ongoing
dialogue on human rights, as it will help us to better understand the situation of Chinese minorities in specific
areas."
In Beijing, Mr. Chan plans to meet with senior officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Association for
Relations Across the Taiwan Strait, the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Co-operation, the State
Development Planning Commission and the Ministry of Land and Resources.
Mr. Chan will then lead the business delegation to Xinjiang to promote Canadian capabilities in the emerging
resource, transportation and environment sectors. As well, he and his hosts will examine the impact of China's
accession to the World Trade Organization. In Xinjiang, which is the largest and most northwesterly of China's
regions, the business representatives will explore opportunities for Sino-Canadian co-operation in China's new
"Great Western Development Policy."
"In Xinjiang, the business delegation mission will have an opportunity to assess the potential for co-operation in
social and economic activity in what has been one of the least-developed regions of the country," noted Mr.
Chan. "It is an excellent venue to showcase Canada's state-of-the-art sustainable resource development,
production and environmental technologies, as well as appropriate solutions for telecommunications and
transportation infrastructure development."
Mr. Chan and his delegation will meet in Urumqi with senior officials of the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region,
and will take part in a Canada-Xinjiang Trade and Investment Seminar and Networking event organized by the
Canadian embassy and the Canada-China Business Council.
Also in Xinjiang, the delegation will visit Kashgar, where they will meet with local officials and discuss economic
development co-operation. Mr. Chan will also tour Canada Fund projects in the area, which promote
sustainable agriculture and training for local level micro-business projects.
On June 3, Mr. Chan and both Members of Parliament will proceed to Lhasa. There, they will meet with local
officials responsible for ethnic and religious affairs, tour Johkang Monastery, and meet with senior officials of
the Tibet Autonomous Region. Beyond Lhasa, the group will visit local Canada Fund-supported village clinic
and water system projects.
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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
Blake, Cassels & Graydon
Toronto, ON
Canada-China Business Council
Toronto, ON and Vancouver, BC
Canada Livestock Services
Marsden, SK
Canadian International Project Managers
Montreal, QC
Conspec
Downsview, ON
Davey International
Stoney Creek, ON
Harris
Montreal, QC
HATCH
Mississauga, ON
MINCO
Vancouver, BC
Novel Energy
Calgary, AB
SNC Lavalin
Montreal, QC
Vancouver Island Helicopter (VIH) International
Victoria, BC
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