Today, Premier Christy Clark begins a trade mission focused on opening new doors in the Philippines and developing new export markets in technology and liquefied natural gas (LNG) with established trade partners in Japan and South Korea.

Premier Clark is leading a delegation of representatives from approximately 78 businesses and organizations on her seventh trade mission to Asia, travelling to South Korea May 23-25, the Philippines May 26-27, and Japan May 28-31.

“This trade mission is about developing new trade and investment opportunities with Japan and Korea, while looking at what the future holds in Southeast Asia as we develop a stronger trade presence in the Philippines,” said Premier Clark. “B.C. is leading Canada right now because we have both a diverse economy and diverse export markets. This mission is an opportunity to build on that success.”

Premier Clark will also promote the free trade opportunities that are being created under the Canada-Korea Free Trade Agreement, which came into effect Jan. 1, 2015, and the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP), which currently is in the ratification process. Canada and Japan are both signatories to the TPP, which is expected to grow B.C. exports by $350 million annually and create more than 2,500 jobs around the province.

Businesses and organizations representing a wide variety of sectors, from international education and digital media, to LNG, clean technology and professional services, will be travelling on this mission to form partnerships and attract new trade and investment dollars to B.C.

Trade missions are a critical part of British Columbia’s BC Jobs Plan strategy to diversify international trading partners and secure new investment, and help propel economic activity and job creation throughout the province.

Quick Facts:

• British Columbia is the largest provincial exporter to Japan, South Korea and the Philippines.
• Japan and South Korea are B.C.’s third- and fourth-largest trade partners respectively.
• In 2015, B.C. exported $3.6 billion in goods to Japan and $1.8 billion in goods to Korea.
• In 2015-16, the Ministry of International Trade helped facilitate:
  • 17 trade deals between B.C. and Japan; and
  • 20 trade deals between B.C. and Korea.

Learn More:

A detailed list of businesses and other organizations taking part in the trade mission can be found here: https://news.gov.bc.ca/files/BACKGROUNDER_Delegate_list_May_23_2016.pdf

For more details on Premier Clark’s trade mission to South Korea, Philippines and Japan, visit: https://news.gov.bc.ca/stories/trade-mission-to-korea-the-philippines-and-japan

For more information about B.C. trade and investment opportunities, visit:  http://www.britishcolumbia.ca/

Learn more about the BC Jobs Plan: http://engage.gov.bc.ca/bcjobsplan/