China massive market for area exports

China is a huge market in terms of potential trade exports.

That potential has already been realized by a number of Yorkton and area businesses including Buckle Great Northern Beef Corp., who hosted a visit from Richard Choi, chief representative of the Saskatchewan Trade and Investment Office China, based in Shanghai.

For Choi, working in promoting business and trade in China is a natural. Born in China, but growing up and being educated in Canada, he has worked extensively in the business field including time with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce in China, before taking the position with the Saskatchewan office.

Choi said having an office in Shanghai is a good step in opening doors to the massive market of the city, and the country, adding Canadian business has to understand going in it is a different world there in terms of how one carries out business.

“The way they do business over there is very different from how we do business here,” he said, adding he believes the basis for business in China “comes from the history and culture of the country.”

It’s important that Canadian business understand at least some of that history.

For example, “China only opened to the world in 1978,” reminded Choi. “China has only 40 years (experience in trading).” That limited timeframe in international dealings compared to a country such as Canada is significant, he said. “They’ve had to learn a lot of things from the west.”

While there are hurdles to be cleared to trade into China, the sheer scale of the market is enticing. Choi pointed just to the city of Shanghai with its population of 32 million.

“That’s only two million short of the total population of Canada,” he noted.

Choi added there is a significant middle class in Shanghai and that is the important sector they want to access. People with a growing income are willing to spend money for quality imported products such as Buckle Great Northern Beef, or honey from Wendell Estate Honey at MacNutt, or flax oil from TA Foods here in the city.

The market is there.

“It’s very big and very complicated,” he said, adding the opportunities in Shanghai do exist “as long as you know what you’re doing.”

That is where the trade office and Canada’s reputation can help.