November 6, 1998 (2:00 p.m. EST) No. 258

MARCHI TO LEAD TRADE DELEGATION TO CHINA AND VISIT SINGAPORE AND KUALA LUMPUR

International Trade Minister Sergio Marchi will head a Canada-China Business Council trade delegation to Dalian, China, on November 17 before heading to Beijing from November 18 to 20 for the annual general meeting of the Canada-China Business Council, a major business signing ceremony, and other events.

Minister Marchi will also visit Singapore on November 13, before attending the APEC Ministerial meeting in Kuala Lumpur on November 14 and 15.

"Canadian firms have a strong and growing presence in China, and Canada-China trade has continued to broaden and mature in recent years," said Mr. Marchi. "A large majority of Canadian investment in China comes from small-and-medium-sized enterprises, and exports in services and high technology and manufactured goods continue to increase."

The China portion of the Minister's trip will focus on Canada's long-term plans to develop closer business relationships with that country's rapidly emerging regional markets, and on diversifying Canada's already strong trade and investment with China.

In Dalian, Minister Marchi will meet with various provincial and municipal government leaders, and address a networking session of the Canada-China Business Council. In Beijing, the Minister will give a keynote address at the annual general meeting of the Canada-China Business Council and meet with senior Chinese ministers to discuss Canadian trade interests. He will also participate in various high-level meetings with Prime Minister Jean Chrétien. The Minister will highlight the success of Canadian businesses in the region by attending a signing ceremony of projects between Canadian companies and their partners in China.

Mr. Marchi begins his trip in Singapore, where he will address a seminar on investing in Canadian technology and attend a luncheon with Canadian companies. He will stress Canada's openness to foreign investment and his desire for closer

co-operation with Singapore in multilateral bodies.

Mr. Marchi will then attend the two-day APEC Ministerial meeting in Kuala Lumpur where his focus will be on promoting economic stability in the region and on encouraging further progress on trade liberalization.

Minister Marchi's participation in the APEC Ministerial precedes the Leaders' Summit, which Prime Minister Chrétien will attend. The Minister's visit to China and Singapore also partially coincides with the Prime Minister's visit to those countries.

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A list of participants in the Canada-China Business Council events in Dalian is attached.

For further information, media representatives may contact:

Leslie Swartman

Office of the Minister for International Trade

(613) 992-7332

Media Relations Office

Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade

(613) 995-1874

This document is also available on the Department's Internet site: http://www.dfait-maeci.gc.ca

Participants Attending Canada-China Business Council Events

in Dalian, China

Bank of Montreal

Bond International College

Bridge Trust and Investment Group

CAE Inc.

Canadian Pacific Railway

Capital West Group

China-Alberta Petroleum Centre

Davey International Inc.

Edwin Industries (F.E.) Inc.

FLIO Inc.

Forte Enterprise and Trade Ltd.

Fuynang City, Zhejiang Province

George Lu and Associates, Inc.

Globe Foundation

Harris Canada and Eicon Technology

Harris Communications Ltd.

Hillary Enterprises Ltd.

Hunan Huajia Telecom. Engineering Co.

Jinzhou City

Liaoning Overseas Publishing Group

Lockerbie Stanley Inc.

Macdonald Realty (1974) Inc.

McDonald and Hayden

Newbridge Networks Corp.

Nortel (China) Ltd.

Power Communications

Power Corporation of Canada

Quebec Trade Office

Shaanxi Qinling Seers Noferrous Metal

SinoCann Entrepreneurs Association

SNC-Lavalin International Inc.

Stikeman, Elliott

Sun Life Assurance Company of Canada

Teda Enterprises (Canada) Inc.

The Canada Life Assurance Company

Upsilon International Commerce (SUCI)

Vancouver Port Corporation

Worldtek (Canada) Ltd.