SUMMERSIDE – Bedeque-based Prince Edward Island Bag Ltd. are off on a trade mission to China.
Premier Robert Ghiz is leading the trade mission aimed at strengthening business relationships and educational partnerships with China.
P.E.I. Bag Company representatives, Thane Smallwood and Jerry MacDonald, are part of their company’s second trip abroad.
“There are two main purposes for our visit,” Smallwood said just before leaving Friday. “One is to meet with existing and potential business partners to determine if a market exists for the products we market on P.E.I., specifically high graphics multi-wall paper bags for the agricultural market.”
Smallwood said the bag company manufactures between 60 and 70 per cent of the products they sell.
“We have always purchased other products which our customers require and we do not have the capability to manufacture and cannot source locally,” he said. “We have business with those suppliers as well.”
Still, there is a third reason for the trip – education.
Smallwood explains this involves “educating ourselves on the markets and how to do business in China to ensure we obtain solid business partners.
“While P.E.I. Bag is a small company by world standards, we need to grow our business by offering our current customers products we do not currently supply and seek new customers worldwide.”
The trade mission will run for 10 days.
The focus of the mission is to foster business relationships and possible new ventures for Island businesses. The other Island businesses taking part in the mission include: Anne in China Inc., BerMc Controls Inc., COWS Inc. and Raspberry Point Oysters.
The mission will also focus on strengthening educational partnerships as the University of Prince Edward Island, Holland College and Study Abroad Canada representatives are attending as well.
UPEI will sign new agreements with three universities in China, renew agreements with two others, and recognize current agreements with Ludong University and China Agricultural University. The trip will also provide an opportunity for UPEI to conduct exploratory visits to other schools, such as Ocean University of China in Qingdao, that may result in future collaborations.
Holland College will be signing educational joint venture agreements with existing partner colleges as well as a new partner, Jiangsu Animal Husbandry and Veterinary College. They will also be signing a co-operative memorandum of understanding regarding tourism and adult learning initiatives.
Ghiz will also renew P.E.I.’s Friendship-Province Relationship Agreement with Hainan Province. The original agreement was signed in 2001 and this trip will mark the 10th anniversary of P.E.I.’s relationship with Hainan.
How many taxpayers dollars were spent last week sending Mike McGeoghan and his crew over there for 15 days? I have yet to see a report on all these trips to China showing how much business is actually picked up. At the very least, the Premier should report to the peole how many signed contracts they come back with. To me, this is just a good week in China for people who would never use their own money to go there. This is just a fun jaunt for loyal Liberals.I hope the opposition in the house holds Ghiz accountable.