Hainan Expo 2026: CCBC: We see growing positive momentum in China-Canada economic relations

With Canada serving as the Guest Country of Honor at this year's Hainan Expo, China-Canada economic ties are seeing new opportunities emerge across various sectors. Our reporter Xu Yi spoke with a representative from the Canada-China Business Council for more insights.

DAVID PEREZ-DES ROSIERS Director of the Beijing Chapter Canada-China Business Council "We're really happy to have Canada as the Guest Country of Honor for this edition of CICPE. I think it's very important, not only for our Canadian brands that are performing quite well in the market, but also to show a presence in China and to show up, as we mention, right? Because if we look at the trade data between Canada and China last year, we saw an increase in bilateral trade. More precisely, exports from Canada to China increased by almost 15%. That's extremely encouraging for us. Agri-food products are an important part of it. And if we look at our most recent business sentiment survey, the Canada brand is doing quite well in China in terms of receptivity from Chinese consumers. So being part of such an important Expo is extremely important for Canadian brands. And for us at the Canada-China Business Council, we're really happy to not only see that kind of engagement, but also to note the visit of the Minister of International Trade of Canada. The visit of Prime Minister Carney in January, who came with five Ministers, is a clear demonstration of that. So I think the momentum is extremely positive."

XU YI Haikou "How do you think Hainan's policy advantages can support bilateral trade and global cooperation?"

DAVID PEREZ-DES ROSIERS Director of the Beijing Chapter Canada-China Business Council "And, you know, in the last year, we had the chance to engage in discussions related to the new policy and the new Free Trade Port of Hainan. A few key elements that we took note of. Number one is the tax incentives. Hainan has been a long-term important destination in terms of duty-free. So I think that will also be able to benefit anything related to tariffs imposed on foreign goods and access to other markets in the region. But also, what has been done in terms of investments related to the health sector – that's also something we're looking at – as well as the opportunities for education, for foreign institutions to enter the market in Hainan. So we still have a lot to follow up on."

XU YI Haikou "China is advancing high-quality opening-up, and its foreign trade – we saw a big increase in the first quarter. How significant is this for foreign businesses?"

DAVID PEREZ-DES ROSIERS Director of the Beijing Chapter Canada-China Business Council "You know, I think the most recent Five-Year Plan has set a number of priorities in terms of policies and in terms of sectors. And we do believe that a lot of those priorities really align with what Canadian businesses are doing in the Chinese market and can offer jointly with Chinese partners in the market in terms of advancing services and boosting consumption. So we see great opportunities there. There are a lot of Canadian brands that see the Chinese market as an important market for them as well. So we are quite optimistic about how the opening-up will translate for those members as well."