Canadian PM Stephen Harper arrives in Beijing – CCTV video news report
Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper, accompanied by his wife Laureen Harper, has arrived in China for his first official 5-day visit since taking office in February 2006. Arriving in Beijing on Thursday, December 3, Stephen Harper met Chinese President Hu Jintao (胡錦濤) and had talks with Premier Wen Jiabao (温家寶). Scheduled sightseeing during Stephen Harper’s stop in Beijing include visits to the Great Wall of China and the Forbidden City. On Friday, December 4, Harper will meet China’s top legislator, Wu Bangguo (吳邦國). Harper will also visit World Expo Park in Shanghai before heading to Hong Kong. The Chinese Foreign Ministry said that Stephen Harper is accompanied by a 40-member entourage that includes International Trade Minister Stockwell Day and Agriculture Minister Gerry Ritz.
Starting in 1961, Canada was the first western nation to have trade relations with China. Business ties have expanded from single commodity trade to diversified cooperation in all sectors. Annual bilateral trade between Canada and China have grown from $150 million in 1961 to $34.5 billion in 2008. China has become Canada’s second largest trading partner, third and largest export market and second largest source of imports.
Watch following video news report (03 Dec 2009) from Beijing CCTV for more on Canada-China relations during the past 39 years..
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