The first weekend of Premier Christy Clark's 2013 Jobs and Trade Mission was highlighted by a new natural gas venture establishing a Vancouver head office and Bluestar International Business signing an $80-million forestry deal that will see B.C. lumber used for infrastructure projects in China.

Premier Christy Clark departs today for her third Jobs and Trade Mission, leading a delegation of over 120 companies to China, Korea and Japan from Nov. 21 to Dec. 3, 2013 to deepen British Columbia's relationships with these priority markets.

It has been a history-making week as British Columbia continues to deepen its relationship with China and the fast-growing economies of the Asia Pacific.

A business-development trip by Minister of Natural Gas Development Rich Coleman has strengthened British Columbia's working relationship with large liquefied natural gas (LNG) proponents and investors in China, South Korea and Malaysia.

In an important step toward a stronger working relationship between B.C. and China's Zhejiang province, both governments signed an agreement encouraging greater co-operation in wood-frame construction.

As part of Canada and B.C.'s effort to aid reconstruction following the 2011 earthquake and tsunami, in Japan, plans were announced to build a support centre for children with disabilities.

Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations Minister Steve Thomson and delegates on the 2013 Forestry Asia Trade Mission had an action-packed first day in Japan.

Expanding and strengthening trading relationships abroad means real jobs here at home.