Press Communique
For Immediate Release
Quebec 2007 Economic, Scientific and Technological Mission visits China
Québec Government Minister Raymond Bachand Heads Economic, Scientific and
Technological Delegation to China
Beijing, September 3, 2007 - Mr. Raymond Bachand, Quebec Minister of Economic Development,
Innovation and Export Trade, Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible for the Montréal region,
heads an economic, scientific and technological delegation, composed of 19 enterprises and
agencies, to China. The purpose of this visit is to further strengthen the relationship between
Quebec and China and explore a new possibility of commercial exchanges and cooperation.
Members of the Québec delegation are some high quality enterprises and agencies that play a
leading role in their respective industries. Their aggregate business volume has approached
46 billion dollars. The number of staff members is 136,450 people, of them 40,760 people are
employed in Quebec and 6,237 are employed in China.
“In view of China’s rapid development and vast economic scale, China is of strategic interests to
Québec. Therefore, the Québec government regards China as one of priorities of its international
policy. We will spare no efforts to establish Québec’s position in China, ” Minister Bachand pointed
out..
The Québec delegation’s visit includes two parts: Till September 5 the delegation visits in Beijing.
Then from September 6 to 9, the delegation will attend the First Annual Meeting of the New
Champions in Dalian organized by the World Economic Forum (WEF).
Beijing
Mr. Bachand will lead a delegation composed of 19 enterprises and agencies to China. The
purpose of which is to establish and consolidate the relations with China’s relevant enterprises and
government. Minister Bachand will meet with a delegation of the Chinese government and enable
them to understand that Quebec hopes to maintain the strong relationships with China’s
cooperative partners either in business and trade or in the field of science and technology. Minister
Bachand will take this opportunity to give publicity to Quebec, a business area full of
competitiveness, daring to innovate and create.
The delegation has arranged many activities, in particular meetings with Chinese government
departments (and enterprises and agencies) in many areas, such as China Aviation Industry
Corporation I, the Ministry of Science and Technology of the PRC, the Ministry of Commerce of the
PRC, and the China Investment Promotion Agency. Minister Bachand will also visit the Beijing
University of Posts and Telecommunications as well as some enterprises established by Québec in
China. This evening Québec will host a reception. Invited are 200 policy makers from the Chinese
government, the Chinese business community and the circles of science and technology.
Dalian
Montréal Mayor Gérald Tremblay will join the Québec delegation at Dalian and energetically
support Miniter Bachand’s publicity and promotional activities.
Mr. Bachand will attend the First Annual Meeting of the New Champions organized by the WEF.
Accompanying Minister Bachand to the annual meeting are ten Québec enterprises that have
joined the ranks of the New Champions. They are: Aluminerie Alouette, Atrium Innovations, CAE,
Cirque du Soleil, Exfo ingénierie électro-optique, Fruits & Passion, Groupe Soucy, Groupe Cossette
Communication, Multina and Pratt & Whitney Canada. These enterprises have reached the strict
standards set up by the WEF. In the meantime, they have proved that they have possessed the
capacity to be leaders of the global economy. Alcan, Investissement Québec, Société générale de
financement du Québec and Montréal International will also accompany the Minister to attend this
event.
In addition, of the regions with the strongest global competitiveness, nine most fast growing regions
will take this opportunity to show off. Montréal is one of the two cities in North America which have
been chosen and accepted an invitation from the WEF. Montréal will benefit from this valuable
opportunity of demonstrating itself.
If comparing Montréal with other big cities in North America, the whole Montréal area shows very
strong competitiveness in operating costs, living costs, housing expenses, hi-tech and employment
intensity. In terms of hi-tech and employment intensity, by relying on its high-quality labour force
and the intensive research infrastructure, Montréal is ranked third in North America. In addition,
Montréal is also a big city which most easily receives risk investment in Canada.
Exchange of visits in recent years
Accompanied by two ministers and over 100 business people and representatives of agencies,
Jean Charest visited China in September 2005. During the vist, Québec and China renewed the
Science and Technology Cooperation Agreement and an Education Cooperation Agreement. The
visit also re-launched science and technology cooperation between Québec and China, and
popularized Quéebec’s research and innovation system.
In May this year Mr. Bachand met with Mr. Bo Xilai, Minister of Commerce of the PRC, and signed
a Joint Statement on Science and Technology with Mr. Shang Yong, Vice-Minister of Science and
Technology of the PRC. By signing this statement, a call of “collection of joint project
proposals” was issued to research enterprises and institutes in Québec and China. According to
this statement, 1.6 million dollars were planned to be invested with each side investing 0.8 million
dollars, for supporting the development of research projects in Québec and China for the coming
three years.
Minister Bachand is convinced, “Over years Québec has been working to develop close relations
with China. In 2006 China became Québec’s second largest economic partner in trade scale. This
visit aims at establishing two positions of Québec Province and the Montréal area: the outstanding
international lead position and the position of the area particularly suitable for investment. During
the China visit, we should also support the creation of other strategic cooperative relationships so
as to benefit the economy of Québec and the economy of China.”
Source：
Mélissa Dumais
Political Attache of Office of Québec Minister of
Economic Development, Innovation and Export
Trade, Minister of Tourism and Minister responsible
for the Montréal region
Mobile phone during China visit: 139 1189 7157
Information：
Véronique Lamarre
Communication Advisor
Québec Ministry of Economic Development,
Innovation and Export Trade
Mobile phone during China visit: 139 1175
4471
Quebec 2007 Economic and Technical Delegation to China
List of Members of Enterprises
Company
Address
Website Address
Alcan
1188, rue Sherbrooke Ouest
Montréal (Québec) H3A 3G2
www.alcan.com
Aluminerie Alouette
400, chemin de la Pointe-Noire,
C. P. 1650, Sept-Îles (Québec)
G4R 5M9
www.alouette.qc.ca
Atrium Innovations
1405, boul. du Parc-Technologique
Québec (Québec) G1P 4P5
www.atrium-bio.com
Bombardier
Aéronautique
CAE
Cirque du Soleil
Exfo (Exfo Ingénierie
électro-optique)
Fruits & Passion
Groupe Cossette
Communication
Groupe Soucy
400, chemin de la Côte-Vertu Ouest
Dorval (Québec) H4S 1Y9
www.bombardier.com
8585, chemin de la Côte-de-Liesse
Saint-Laurent (Québec) H4T 1G6
www.cae.com
8400, 2e Avenue
Montréal (Québec) H1Z 4M6
www.cirquedusoleil.com
400, avenue Godin
Québec (Québec) G1M 2K2
21, rue Paul-Gauguin
Candiac (Québec) J5R 3X8
www.exfo.com
www.fruits-passion.com
2100, rue Drummond
Montréal (Québec) H3G 1X1
www.cossette.com
5450, rue Saint-Roch, C. P. 400
Drummondville (Québec) J2B 6W3
www.soucy-group.com
Multina
1375, rue Janelle
Drummondville (Québec) J2C 3E4
www.multina.com
Pratt & Whitney
Canada
1000, boulevard Marie-Victorin
Longueuil (Québec) J4G 1A1
www.pwc.ca
SNC-Lavalin
International
Wavesat
455, boul. René-Lévesque Ouest
Montréal (Québec) H2Z 1Z3
www.snclavalin.com
1375, autoroute Transcanadienne,
bureau 300 Dorval (Québec) H9P 2W8
www.wavesat.com
List of Members of Agencies
Investissement
Québec
393, rue Saint-Jacques, bureau 500
Montréal (Québec) H2Y 1N9
www.invest-quebec.com
Montréal
International
380, rue Saint-Antoine Ouest,
bureau 8000
Montréal (Québec) H2Y 3X7
www.montrealinternational.com
PROMPT-Québec
1155, rue University, bureau 903
Montréal (Québec) H3B 3A7
www.promptquebec.com
Société générale de
financement du
Québec
600, rue de la Gauchetière Ouest,
bureau 1500
Montréal (Québec) H3B 4L8
www.sgfqc.com
Ville de Montréal
Hôtel de ville
275, rue Notre-Dame Est
Montréal (Québec) H2Y 1C6
www.ville.montreal.qc.ca