The province will open a trade and investment office in Hong Kong, Premier Christy Clark announced this morning.
The province plans to install a trade and investment representative at the new Hong Kong office by mid-November. According to the province, the representative will focus on attracting new investment by:
- providing local market knowledge and access to large networks of key influencers within government and industry;
- provide language and business cultural skills to attract investment; and
- connect B.C. businesses with new markets and opportunities.
The Hong Kong representative will work in conjunction with B.C.’s trade and investment representatives in Shanghai, Beijing and Guangzhou.
Clark said, “China is British Columbia’s second-largest trading partner and is a vital and growing market for our products, services and resources, particularly natural gas.”
According to the province, Hong Kong’s financial sector is a key investor in a range of B.C. spheres including real estate and natural gas.
According to a 2011 survey by the Asia Pacific Foundation of Canada, Hong Kong is Asia’s most Canadian city with a Canadian citizen in every 13 households. Of these, 82% say they last lived in B.C. or Ontario.
B.C. will also be opening two new Indian trade offices, in Mumbai and Chandigarh, by mid-November.
