Yuan Chunqing, secretary of Shanxi provincial Party committee (left) and Noël Kinsella, the Speaker of the Canadian Senate (right)

Yuan Chunqing, the secretary of Shanxi provincial Party committee has met with Noël Kinsella, the Speaker of the Canadian Senate, and Elyse Allan, president and CEO of GE Canada, during a visit to Canada by a Shanxi delegation, June 3 to 5.

Yuan and the delegation have visited the cities of Ottawa and Toronto to learn more about the country's urban planning, and its manufacturing, scientific innovations, and trade.

In the meeting with Kinsella, Yuan said he appreciated their efforts in building good relations with China and said he hopes there will be further development of China-Canada relations and more cooperation opportunities for Shanxi and Canada.

Kinsella said he welcomed the Shanxi delegation and that Canada-China relation have seen steady development and that he believes there will be much more cooperation with Shanxi province.

At a trade and cultural affairs seminar, Yuan explained Shanxi's economic and social development and said that its industrial structure and Canada's are similar and complement each other and this indicates great cooperation potential. Canadian investment is very important for Shanxi's industrial upgrades, especially in energy and raw materials, agriculture, animal husbandry, and tourism.

Yuan was present at a signing ceremony between the Taiyuan Iron and Steel Group (TISCO) and GE Canada, where he said that the two companies have a good foundation for cooperation and this means bright prospects for development, especially in helping TISCO expand its China market and improve its competitiveness internationally.

Allan said the cooperation with TISCO is a fresh start for GE Canada in expanding its business in Shanxi.

Edited by Roger Bradshaw