An ally on which Quebec wants to bet

Photo By Patrick Bellerose
The prime minister of Quebec, Philippe Couillard, has tested the tire on the snow, in the company’s Citadel in the framework of the festival of quebec products, who stood at the mall Daning, Shanghai, the largest city of China.

Patrick Bellerose

Sunday, 28 January, 2018 00:00

UPDATE
Sunday, 28 January, 2018 00:00

Look at this article

The prime minister Philippe Couillard returned today from an economic mission in China, where he announced investments and sales for the québec companies totaling $ 262,4 million $. Quebec universities have also taken the opportunity to sign a number of partnerships, while the government of Québec has signed a cooperation agreement in the cultural field, with the central government. Philippe Couillard asserts that China is becoming a better ally than the United States of Trump on free trade and environment.

High-level meetings

At the time of the balance sheet of its economic mission, premier Philippe Couillard welcomed the access granted to the Quebec with the chinese authorities.

An opening of the regime made possible by the long-standing relationship that Quebec has with the country, as well as through its delegation in China.

During his stay, Philippe Couillard included talks with two ministers of the central government (i.e. the minister of Science and Technology, as well as the minister of Culture), in addition to meeting with the mayor of Shanghai.

“There’s not a lot of canadian provinces that have that kind of access,” stresses the prime minister.

Millions and signatures

Among the highlights, the company Enerkem has signed an agreement with a value of $ 125 million to create a joint venture with the chinese Sinobioway Group, which will allow the creation of a hundred biofuel plants in China by 2035.

Another company green technology, HRST Industries, has also entered into a partnership with Kingpen, which allows the use of water beads for water treatment in greenhouses in china, in addition to the possibility to commercialize the technology in more than 40 countries.

Specializing in experiential marketing, Cinco has finally signed a partnership with the State corporation BeiAo, in particular in order to obtain contracts during the Beijing olympic Games in 2022.

The War of the tuques

Among the companies accompanying the prime minister include the production company CarpeDiem who was looking for a partner to commercialize the suite of his film, La Guerre des tuques 3D, the output of which is scheduled for December 2018.

The first installment has already been a good success in China, where it was screened on 4000 screens. The producers wish to now create a variety of derivatives which will be particularly for the chinese market.

The hero of the second movie will be, ” Francis Sunglasses “, character asian of the franchise. But it ensures the vice-president of CarpeDiem, Nancy Breault, this is the result of chance.

Pure Air

The premier of Quebec, has inaugurated Friday, the local Industries Orkan, a company of Saint-Hubert better known in the province under the name of Epurair, which manufactures and installs air purifiers central. The pollution in China can reach a level of 500 or even more, points out the vice-president of Orkan, Simon Labrecque. In Quebec, a smog alert is triggered when the pollution level reaches 60.

Snow in shanghai

The delegation of québec has been welcomed by the snow in Shanghai, a rare event in this coastal city where the temperature hovers around 10 degrees Celsius. A chinese proverb is that the snow is a harbinger of good harvests. “If this is true, we should have a “mozus” good harvest “, launched by the prime minister Couillard seeing the weather on his arrival.

By the numbers

2nd

China is the second economic partner of Quebec, behind the United States. In 2016, the province has exported for a value of $ 3 billion to the country, against imports of $10.8 billion.

560 billion

The only market of culture and entertainment is estimated at 560 billion US $ annually.

100

A hundred quebec companies such as Bombardier, CAE and SNC-Lavalin are already established.

From Quebec to China

Main Québec exports to China in 2016 (in millions of dollars)

• Planes and helicopters : 431
• Iron ore : 286
• Pork : 247
• Passenger car and other types of vehicles : 239
• Pulp semi-chemical wood : 157
• Soya bean : 156

Source Statistics Canada and Institut de la statistique du Québec