NEWS RELEASE
For Immediate Release 2008FOR0148-001708 Nov. 12, 2008	Ministry of Forests and Range
FORESTS MINISTER HEADS TRADE MISSION TO CHINA

VANCOUVER – A group of B.C. forest sector delegates, led by Forests and Range Minister Pat Bell, leaves today for a six-day trade mission to China to increase demand for wood products in China’s largest cities and major building markets.

 

“Our mission is to generate more business and to pursue new sales opportunities for British Columbia’s world-class forest products,” Bell said. “This trip has also been organized to build new relationships, as well to strengthen existing links, with Chinese construction agencies, developers and government officials.”

 

Bell and more than a dozen industry representatives will visit the cities of Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu, Deyang, Mianyang and Dujiangyan and several earthquake reconstruction project sites during the Nov. 12-18 tour of China.

 

B.C. plans to sign memoranda of understanding with China to help rebuild community facilities destroyed by last May’s devastating Wenchuan earthquake.

 

To help build relationships, the B.C. trade team will meet with the China National Ministry of Civil Affairs; several municipal governments; and China National Building Materials, the largest professional supplier of building materials in the country.

 

The delegation will also view progress and latest developments with B.C.’s marketing and demonstration projects such as the Dream Home Canada centre and the commercial application of wood truss roofs with the Shanghai Housing Bureau.

 

The trade mission, combined with B.C.’s ongoing marketing and demonstration projects, is expected to give an added boost to future forest product sales to China. Wood-frame roofing in particular has significant growth potential. Low-rise, multi-family housing represents a potential lumber market of up to 2.8 million cubic metres per year in roof systems alone.

 

“We’re seeing clear signs that our marketing efforts are starting to pay off. Softwood lumber sales to China are on pace to make 2008 a record-breaking year,” said Bell. “We need to continue to pursue every opportunity to boost this positive, upward trend. That is a major reason why I am travelling to China this week.”

 

Photos from the China trade mission will be available online in the Ministry of Forests and Range media room at www.for.gov.bc.ca/pab/media/.

 

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1 backgrounder(s) attached.
Media contact:	Sophia Proctor Ministry of Forests and Range 250 387-4592
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