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Strengthening Canada-China Market Access

April 16, 2013 - Beijing, China - The Honourable Ed Fast, Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, meets with Zhi Shuping, China’s Minister of General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ). The ministers discussed progress made under the Canada-China Cooperative Arrangement on market access, signed during Prime Minister Stephen Harper’s visit to China in February 2012. The Arrangement supports cooperation between Canada and China to resolve agriculture market access issues of mutual interest.

On April 16, Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz and Minister Fast announced China has approved an additional oilseed crushing facility to begin accepting exports of Canadian canola seed. This new expansion will increase opportunities for Canadian exporters in a market that bought over $1.9 billion worth of canola seed in 2012.

On April 8, the Honourable Alice Wong, Minister of State (Seniors), on behalf of Minister Fast, attended a seafood event at Junlai Seafood Restaurant in Shanghai, China, to highlight the world-class fish and seafood Canada exports to China. In the last 10 years, the value of fresh-lobster exports from Canada to China rose from $1 million to $35 million.

Canada exported nearly $5.5 billion worth of agri-food and seafood products to China in 2012.

Minister Fast is on a two-week visit to Asia that includes stops in the cities of Tokyo, Yokohama, Hong Kong, Beijing, Harbin and Tianjin before he attends the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Ministers Responsible for Trade meeting in Indonesia.

For more information, please consult Deepening Trade with Asia.

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For further information, media representatives may contact:

Rudy Husny
Press Secretary
Office of the Honourable Ed Fast
Minister of International Trade and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway
613-992-7332

Trade Media Relations Office
Foreign Affairs and International Trade Canada
613-996-2000
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