The Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Agriculture and Agri-Food, travelled to China this past week to engage with senior government officials, and to meet with key Chinese and Canadian industry leaders to facilitate new business opportunities and promote Canada's high-quality agriculture and agri-food products. The visit reaffirms Canada's readiness to work with China to enhance our agricultural trading relationship.
Building on recent high-level meetings between Canadian and Chinese leaders, Minister MacDonald met with senior government officials to raise Canada's trade priorities and broaden opportunities for deepened cooperation.
In Beijing, he met with the Minister of the General Administration of Customs of the People's Republic of China (GACC), Sun Meijun. The ministers emphasized shared priorities in animal health, plant health, and food safety. They agreed to renew the Memorandum of Understanding between the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) and the GACC and increase technical collaboration. Technical working groups at the officials level will meet this month. They agreed that these efforts will contribute to addressing common priorities in global food security and realizing economic prosperity for both countries. Minister MacDonald also highlighted the importance of restoring market access for Canadian agricultural products in China.
The Minister also met with Huang Sanwen, President of the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences, an agency of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Affairs (MARA). The discussion focused on increasing institutional agricultural collaboration between Canada and China in areas of shared interest, such as sustainability and global food security.
Minister MacDonald delivered remarks at the opening of the Canadian Meat Advocacy Office, where he highlighted the legacy of trust the industry has built with Chinese consumers. He emphasized the value of this new office, which will give the sector on-site presence in China to better work with local intermediaries in securing access for Canadian meat products.
The opening of the Canadian Meat Advocacy Office is partly supported, along with other advocacy activities, by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada's (AAFC) AgriMarketing Program. This funding is provided to the Canadian Meat Council to identify and address trade challenges and market access issues to ensure a continued growth of trade for the Canadian red meat industry.
In Shanghai, Minister MacDonald engaged with Canadian and Chinese stakeholders. He attended the opening of a new Rôtisseries Benny location, a Quebec-based restaurant chain, and visited Hema, a premium grocery store that carries Canadian products such as Prince Edward Island lobster; CoolFarms, a vertical greenhouse showcasing Canadian technology; and McCain Foods. Through these visits, he gained valuable insights into the Chinese market, retail models, and evolving consumer trends. These insights will help guide efforts to expand opportunities for Canada's agriculture and agri-food sector abroad.
In Qingdao, Minister MacDonald visited the Canada Pavilion at the China Fisheries and Seafood Expo (CFSE), one of AAFC's 7 flagship Canada Pavilions. While there, the Minister heard firsthand from Canadian exhibitors about their products, market interest, and their experience being part of the Canada Brand. The Canada Brand gives exporters a global edge, highlighting Canada's trusted reputation for quality, sustainability, and innovation to attract buyers and build lasting partnerships.
To conclude his mission, the Minister delivered a keynote address at the Canada China Business Council (CCBC) Business Forum, where he spoke directly to business executives about his visit to China and reaffirmed his commitment to strengthening Canada-China trade relations and exploring ways to work together pragmatically and constructively.
Canada's relationship with China is long-standing and China remains an important commercial market for Canadian businesses. Throughout the mission, Minister MacDonald reiterated that Canada is committed to engaging in constructive dialogue with China on bilateral trade matters.
