Media Release – Premier Moe to Promote Saskatchewan Trade in China
Media Release – Premier Moe to Promote Saskatchewan Trade in China
Premier Scott Moe leaves September 15 for a trade mission to China that will showcase the province’s strong, sustainable food, fuel and fertilizer sectors and will explore further trade opportunities between Saskatchewan and China.
The week-long mission involves meetings, events and speaking appearances with government officials and business leaders from the potash, agriculture, resource and carbon capture and storage sectors.
This will be Moe’s first trade mission to an Asian market, and he will be joined by a Saskatchewan Trade and Export Partnership (STEP) delegation of more than 20 representatives from Saskatchewan’s agriculture, agri-value, manufacturing and ag-biotech sectors, including industry associations.
“China’s most important trade and import needs align very closely with Saskatchewan’s most significant export sectors – namely food, fuel and fertilizer,” Moe said. “Strengthening our province’s relationship with markets like China helps keep our economy strong, diverse and growing. I am committed to getting Saskatchewan’s high-quality goods and resources out into the global market, strengthening and building trade partnerships around the world, and building a better, brighter future for our global community as a result.”
The mission aims to improve market access for Saskatchewan exports to China; to highlight Saskatchewan’s attractive investment climate; and to promote Saskatchewan’s global leadership in carbon capture utilization and storage.
Highlights of the mission include:
- a keynote address at the 2018 Carbon Capture Utilization and Storage Forum at the China University of Petroleum – Beijing;
- advocating for the export of Canadian uranium to China as a safe and sustainable source of energy;
- a breakfast and roundtable discussion with the STEP business delegation;
- 17 meetings with government, industry and business leaders;
- a keynote address at a STEP-China Canada Business Council luncheon; and
- a speech about the link between potash and improved crop yields for Chinese farmers at a Harvest Field Day event.
In 2017, Saskatchewan exported more than $3.5 billion in goods to China. These exports have grown by 33 per cent since 2013. Saskatchewan was the largest agri-food exporter to China in 2017 with $2.8 billion in sales.
China has invested more than $1 billion in Saskatchewan over the last ten years, and the province’s trade relationship with China has created nearly 14,000 jobs.
“With goods from Saskatchewan being exported to more than 150 countries, access to large and growing markets like China are the lifeblood of our economy,” Moe said. “Our government understands the value of supporting Saskatchewan businesses in one of the fastest-growing markets in Asia and places a high priority on continuing to develop and diversify these market connections.”
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For more information, contact:
Jim Billington
Executive Council
Regina
Phone: 306-787-0425
Email: jim.billington@gov.sk.ca
