Premier Robert Ghiz and Hon. Richard Brown, Minister of Innovation and Advanced Learning, have just completed a five-day joint trade mission in China as part of a delegation of Premiers, Canadian business leaders and education representatives.
The mission, organized by the Council of the Federation and the Canada China Business Council, reflects the growing relationship between Canada and China. The purpose of the trip was to explore the possibility of enhancing business and trade opportunities between the two countries.
Premiers Dalton McGuinty from Ontario, Shawn Graham from New Brunswick, Gary Doer from Manitoba, former Québec Premier Pierre Marc Johnson, and Premier Ghiz led a delegation of more than 100 business and research and education representatives who met with their Chinese counterparts to discuss and initiate new projects between China and Canada.
The University of Prince Edward Island, Holland College, and Canadian International Opportunities Inc. participated in the mission. This complements last week’s Trade Team PEI mission to China which included the PEI Shellfish Alliance, Milligans Fisheries, PEI Bag Company, PEI Organic Fruits and Berries, and Sherwood Autohaus.
“Trade between Canada and China has doubled in the past 5 years, and this trade mission gave us an excellent opportunity to promote Prince Edward Island to Chinese business leaders and government leaders, and to discuss ways of increasing trade and investment,” said Premier Ghiz.
Minister Brown said the trade mission showed the Chinese business community that PEI is serious about increasing trade with China. “We travelled to China to actively promote our traditional industries – agriculture, fisheries and tourism – and the new opportunities that exist within our emerging sectors,” said Minister Brown.
Holland College President Brian McMillan, a member of the delegation, signed an Educational Joint Venture agreement with Zhenjiang College to offer the Accounting Technology Program to students in China.
Under the terms of the agreement, Zhenjiang College will recruit 50 students for the program and Holland College will train at least two instructors in PEI to deliver the program in accordance with Holland College’s ISO quality standards.
This is the fifth program the colleges have agreed to deliver together. There are already students in Zhenjiang College studying in a number of Holland College’s business programs. Each program is delivered in English and enables students to earn a Holland College Canadian credential without leaving China. The objective of educational joint ventures is to create educational and career opportunities for students in China and Canada.
Holland College President Brian McMillan looks forward to continuing this valuable relationship. “Holland College is very pleased to extend our partnership with Zhenjiang College. There is a great deal of interest in our Accounting Technology Program in China. We are excited about the possibilities this opportunity presents,” he said.
The Council of the Federation is made up of 13 provincial and territorial Premiers. It enables Premiers to work collaboratively to strengthen the Canadian federation by fostering a constructive relationship among the provinces and territories and with the federal government. Expanding trade and relations with China is an important priority of the Council.