CCG-CCBC Event: How China and Canada can Enhance Cooperation
July 17 , 2025
On July 17, 2025, a roundtable discussion themed “Cooperation between China and Canada on Economic and Trade Development” was held at the Beijing headquarters of the Center for China and Globalization (CCG). The event brought together representatives from the Canada China Business Council (CCBC), government agencies, think tanks, and the business communities of both countries to explore the challenges and opportunities in bilateral economic and trade relations and identify new avenues for deepening cooperation.
At the beginning of the meeting, Dr. Henry Huiyao Wang, President of CCG, Former Counsellor to China State Council, and Bijan Ahmadi, Executive Director & Chief Operations Officer of CCBC, delivered opening remarks respectively.
Dr. Henry Huiyao Wang welcomed the attendees and emphasized the importance of leveraging the roundtable as a platform to identify fresh opportunities for China-Canada cooperation. He underscored the resilience and complementarity of the bilateral relationship, noting the promising prospects in clean energy, agriculture, manufacturing, and healthcare. Despite current geopolitical challenges, he called for enhanced dialogue, mutual understanding, and greater engagement by think tanks and business to revitalize and elevate economic ties.
Bijan Ahmadi praised CCG for convening the event and expressed hope it would deepen dialogue and cooperation. He echoed the view that China and Canada’s trade ties are both resilient and complementary, he welcomed the resumption of the Canada-China Joint Economic and Trade Commission (JETC) as a step toward resolving differences. He emphasized the need for more high-level communication to foster a stable, transparent business environment and tap into the potential of bilateral cooperation.
|JIN Xu, President of China Association of International Trade
|Ian Medcalf, Senior Trade Commissioner of Embassy of Canada
Subsequently, special remarks were then delivered by JIN Xu, President of China Association of International Trade and Former Deputy Director-General of The Department of Foreign Affairs at the Ministry of Commerce, and Ian Medcalf, Senior Trade Commissioner of Embassy of Canada. Both affirmed the enduring strength and potential of China-Canada economic and trade relations in recent years.
|JIANG Shan,CCG Nonresident Senior Fellow and Former Director-General of Department of American and Oceanian Affairs of Ministry of Commerce
| David Perez-Des Rosiers, Chief Representative of CCBC Beijing
During the roundtable discussion, Dr. JIANG Shan, CCG Nonresident Senior Fellow and Former Director-General of Department of American and Oceanian Affairs of Ministry of Commerce, and David Perez-Des Rosiers, Chief Representative of CCBC Beijing, offered the opening comments. Following this, experts, business leaders, and officials from various resident institutions in China engaged in in-depth discussions on topics such as trade policy, industrial complementarity, energy cooperation, and technology exchange.
Participants broadly agreed that China and Canada enjoy strong societal ties and a solid foundation for economic collaboration. Despite current uncertainties and challenges in the global trade environment, there remains significant room for cooperation across various sectors. In areas such as climate change response, green transition, and strengthening supply chain resilience, the two countries can work together to achieve shared, mutually beneficial outcomes.
Chinese participants attending the meeting also included: MA Jianchun, President, China Society for World Trade Organization Studies; Former Director-General, Department of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Commerce; HUO Jianguo, CCG Nonresident Senior Fellow, Vice President of China Society for World Trade Organization Studies, Former President of Chinese Academy of International Trade and Economic Cooperation of Ministry of Commerce; LUO Huan, Deputy Director, Department of American and Oceanian Affairs, Ministry of Commerce; and John Qiang XU, Chief Representative of the China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT).
Other guests invited by CCBC to attend the meeting included: Greg Cederwall, First Secretary, Embassy of Canada; Jacob Cooke, CEO, WPIC; Kurt Lou, Head Corporate Banking, BMO; Liam Mather, Head of Public Affairs, WPIC; Tina Qiu, Head China Branch, RBC; Sophie Ren, Director Government Relations Pratt & Whitney; Andy Truong, CEO AKD International; Huangsen Wu, Senior Representative, Neo Performance Materials; Jinsong Xia, Vice-President China Affairs, Pratt & Whitney; Candice Zhao, Deputy Director, Beijing, CCBC; and Cathy Zhu, General Manager, Air Canada.
CCG Deputy Secretary-General ZHANG Wei, Deputy Secretary-General LIU Jun, Media and Public Relations Director LUO Yan, and Assistant Research Fellow JIA Yuxuan also joined the meeting.
