A Major Step Forward

Ontario Trade Mission Will Lead To Increased Trade And Investment With China

November 15, 2005 — HONG KONG — Ontario's successful mission to China is a major step towards increased trade and investment with one of the world's fastest growing economies, Premier Dalton McGuinty said today.

“This has been a major step forward for Ontario, one that has tremendous potential for jobs and opportunity for Ontarians,” the Premier said as the 12-day trade mission wrapped up this morning.

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“Everywhere we have travelled, we have made it clear that Ontario is open for business, Ontario is open to China, and Ontario is aggressively pursuing greater two-way trade and investment,” he said.

“Now we must follow up on the contacts we have made, the leads we have established, and the tremendous goodwill we have built.”

The Premier led a delegation of more than 125 Ontarians, representing businesses, universities and colleges, municipalities, agricultural organizations and medical research institutions, to Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou, Nanjing and Hong Kong.

“We have stressed that Ontario is investing in education, fostering innovation, and competing for and winning new investment. We have told government and business leaders that we're ready to form new partnerships with the economic powerhouse that is China.”

Highlights of the trade mission include:

• The renewal of Ontario's 20-year-old friendship and co-operation agreement, including the formation of a new Business Council, with Jiangsu Province, one of the fastest growing regions in one of the fastest growing countries in the world.
• The Premier's meetings with top government officials – considered essential in a country where official sanction is important to doing business – including the Vice-Chair of the National People's Congress Gu Xuilian, Vice Minister of Commerce Ma Xiuhong, Information Industries Minister Wang Xudong, Education Minister Zhou Ji, the Vice-Mayor of Shanghai Zhou Yupeng, the Vice-Mayor of Suzhou Zhou Weigiang, the Governor of Jiangsu Province Liang Baohua and the Party Secretary of Jiangsu province Li Yuanchao.
• Major speeches to leading business groups and meetings with leading investors, including Li Ka Shing, the Chairman of Cheung Kong (Holdings) Ltd. and Hutchison Whampoa Ltd., and listed by Forbes as one of the richest men in the world.
• The Premier's speech on the importance of rule of law and human rights to law students at Beijing's Tsinghua University and his visit with school children at Middle School #10 in Suzhou.
• A successful series of business roundtables and seminars that matched Ontario businesses and institutions with potential partners in China and Hong Kong.
• The signing of more than 30 agreements between Ontario businesses, educators, health providers, and municipalities and their Chinese and Hong Kong counterparts.

For example, the University of Waterloo secured a major partnership with Nanjing University that allows students to earn degrees by studying in both countries; Shred-Tech Corporation signed an agreement with a Beijing firm to manufacture and promote technology for the processing of medical waste; Mount Sinai Hospital signed an agreement to pursue joint genomics research with Hong Kong University; Hoken Agritech International Inc. agreed to supply bovine embryos and animal health products to a Nanjing diary company, Vanatter Group Inc. entered into a long term agreement with a Shanghai auto company, and Toronto's University Health Network will work with the Shanghai Institute of Health Sciences to research new cancer drugs.

“These agreements are significant, but they represent just the start of what we can accomplish in China and Hong Kong,” said Joe Cordiano, Minister of Economic Development and Trade.

“For too much of the last decade, Ontario was missing in action on the world economic stage. Thanks to the Premier's leadership, we've turned that situation around. This mission has put Ontario's interests front and centre, here in one the world's biggest and most dynamic markets.”

Tony Wong, a Hong Kong native who is the MPP for Markham, said this mission has generated tremendous goodwill among Chinese leaders and business people and positive feedback from Ontarians of Chinese descent.

“The economic boom in China is an incredible story, with cities and provinces experiencing economic growth exceeding 10, and even 20 per cent, year after year,” the Premier said.

“Now the people writing China's story know Ontario's story – and they know that increased investment and two-way trade between us will mean even greater prosperity for the people of China and the people of Ontario.”

Ontario Trade and Investment Mission to China - Signings

Premier Dalton McGuinty is leading the Ontario Trade and Investment Mission to China to promote the themes of education, innovation and investment. Ontario's delegation includes more than 125 people from approximately 100 organizations, representing private sector companies, universities and colleges, municipalities, agricultural organizations and medical research institutions.

Companies, educational institutions and organizations from Ontario and China have signed Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) and agreements on a host of projects that will strengthen the economic foundation of both jurisdictions while fostering the trade and investment relationships between them.

Strengthening Trade and Investment Ties

Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto: An agreement has been signed with Li Ka Shing Faculty of Medicine at Hong University to collaborate on research initiatives in the field of genomic medicine focused on cancer, infectious diseases and inflammatory diseases as well as reproductive and developmental diseases. This agreement is the first step in establishing a joint Centre for Genomic Medicine.

B&H Architects Ltd. of Toronto: An agreement with the Yuexing Group to design what will be the largest retail furniture shopping centre in Asia — the Shanghai Universal Home Decoration Expo Centre.

Can-Travel Services Inc.: An agreement has been signed with the China Sunrise Travel Service to work together to prepare for a possible Approved Destination Status for Canada, which would allow for increased tourism from China.

BTI Photonic Systems Inc. of Nepean: An agreement has been signed to provide Alcatel Chengdu Communications Systems with Alcatel-branded versions of BTI's Netsender system for sale in China.

Canada Shred-Tech Corporation of Cambridge: Prior to the Ontario Trade and Investment Mission to China, the company signed a formal cooperation agreement with the China Beijing Sumstar Group to manufacture and promote medical waste process system equipment with the first demo plant scheduled to open in Jiangsu Yangzou in December 2005.

Hoken Agritech International Inc. of Toronto: The company has agreed to supply the Nanjing Weigang Dairy group with frozen bovine semen and embryos as well as Bioniche animal health products and related technical training.

Taishan International High-Tech Corporation of Toronto: An agreement will be signed with Yangtze River Pharmacy Group to jointly license, manufacture, market and distribute herbal medicines and pharmaceuticals.

Lingo Media of Toronto: A letter of intent has been signed with Phoenix Publishing Media Group of Nanjing to establish a joint venture to publish educational newspapers, textbooks, trade books and magazines.

RVM Recycle Tech Ltd. of Newmarket: Partnership agreements will be signed with two Hong Kong partners — Canadian International School and Green Power — to provide services that promote solid waste recycling. The company will install automatic reverse vending machines for bottles and cans in schools in Hong Kong.

VisImage Systems Inc.: The company has announced the release of the Chinese edition of the BoSS-21, a tool that measures the human body and recommends the correct garment and equipment sizes.

Strengthening Educational Ties

Algonquin College in Ottawa: MOUs have been signed with five institutions in China to provide:

• English-as-a-second language training and curriculum to students of the Shanghai Dong-Zhang Education Development Group
• English-as-a-second language at the Anhui Fuyang No.1 Middle School in Fuyang City
• Animation training to students at Shanghai University
• Programs and training for students from Nanjing University of Technology at Algonquin's Ottawa campus
• Professional development and teacher training programs at Algonquin College in Ottawa for students at Shandong Jiatong University with plans to develop other joint programs.

Seneca College of Applied Arts and Science in Toronto: An MOU has been signed with China Space Telecom Ltd. and Summer Leaf Inc. to discuss the framework for establishing a Joint Venture College in Beijing.

The college has also signed an agreement in principle with the Changzhou Institute of Technology to carry out cooperative educational programs and with the Jinling Institute of Technology to strengthen educational and cultural cooperation and extend their cooperation to include degree study programs.

INFOworks Educational Services Inc. Canada of Kitchener: The company will promote and market a wide range of educational programs and professional services on behalf of the Beijing International Educational Exchange with the aim of increasing international understanding and providing enriched professional development opportunities.

Brock University of St. Catharines: An agreement has been signed with Qingdao University of Science and Technology of Beijing to establish a collaborative research program to allow students in computer science and information processing to complete half of their study programs at both universities. Brock University will also sign an agreement with San Jiang University to carry out collaborative research and study programs.

The Centre for Education and Training of Mississauga: Agreements have been signed with the Centre of International Exchange of Education-Shanxi Provincial School Board, Tianjin Municipal School Board, Tianjin Dongli District School Board, Tianjin Tanggu District School Board and Hong Kou Civic District School Board to deliver professional development language training and children's vacation language school camps. In addition, the centre will deliver English language assessment services and English language training to the Tianjin Institute of Foreign Economic Relations and Trade.

Bond International College of Toronto: The Jiangsu International Education Exchange Association will establish a joint language training centre in Toronto for teachers from Jiangsu.

The George Brown College Centre for Early Childhood Development: The Centre will establish a Laboratory School in Suzhou and develop curriculum and best operation practices along with providing practicum and job opportunities for early childhood development students and graduates of George Brown College.

Renison College, University of Waterloo: An MOU has been signed with the Jiangsu Teachers University of Technology in Changzou to promote friendly relations and academic exchanges between the two institutions. Renison College will also offer joint Bachelor of Arts degree programs with the School of Foreign Studies at Nanjing University.

University of Waterloo: A partnership protocol has been developed with Tsinghua University to explore scientific and academic cooperation.

For more information:

Premier’s Media Office
416-314-8975

www.premier.gov.on.ca
www.resultsontario.gov.on.ca