China’s Latest Five-Year Plan
Insights for Western Canadian Trade

A One-Week Virtual Symposium | May 10-13, 2021

For firms, producers and others in Western Canada that have made China the West’s second-largest trading partner – and continue to increase that trade – China has provided a roadmap of its new economic goals in its latest Five-Year Plan (FYP). To ignore this information is a wasted opportunity, and potentially a costly mistake. Canada’s political conflicts with China have attracted a great deal of necessary attention; however, much less focus has been placed on managing the continuing growth in trade. Canada’s allies, who are also our export competitors, are paying attention to managing their trade relationship with China. A clear understanding of the FYP will help the West advance our interests, rather than allowing our competitors in China leave us behind.

This Five-Year Plan online symposium is an opportunity for those in Western Canada who trade with China or are affected by trade with China, as well as the institutions that work with these businesses, to dive into China’s 14^th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). The symposium provides an introduction to China’s latest FYP and how it affects specific sectors of interest to Western Canada, as well as insights on how businesses can use this information.

Please register separately for each session. Space is limited.

• An Armchair Discussion on China’s latest Five-Year Plan with Ambassador Dominic Barton and Canada West Foundation CEO Gary G. Mar
  Monday, May 10, 2021, 7:00-7:50 AM, MDT 
  
  Canada’s bilateral trade with China continues to increase, with average annual export and import growth of 10% and 13% respectively the last two decades, despite political tensions between the two countries. What does China’s 14th Five-Year Plan mean to Western Canada when it comes to managing that trade? How can the West best take advantage of the information contained within the FYP and the implementation processes associated with it for trade? What can we learn from our allies, who are also our competitors, on how to simultaneously manage both political tension and trade growth?
  Canada’s Ambassador to China, Dominic Barton, sits down with Canada West Foundation CEO and former Alberta Representative to China Gary G. Mar for an armchair discussion on China’s latest Five-Year Plan and what it means for Western Canada.
  
  Welcome
  
  Carlo Dade, Director, Trade and Investment Centre, Canada West Foundation
  Moderator
  
  Gary G. Mar, CEO, Canada West Foundation
  Speaker
  
  Dominic Barton, Canada’s Ambassador to China, Embassy of Canada to China, Beijing
  
  View speaker bios

• China’s Five-Year Plan | Context for Western Canada
  Monday, May 10, 2021, 8:00-9:15 AM, MDT
  
  In March 2021, China published new economic and developmental goals and directions for the next five years in its 14^th Five-Year Plan (2021-2025). As China resumes its economic growth, the latest plan reflects how it is shifting away from an export-driven economy to one that focuses on expanding domestic markets. What is a Chinese Five-Year Plan and why is it important for Canada to understand? What should Western Canada pay attention to in this new plan? What are the potential green, yellow and red flags for western Canadian exporters and investors in the plan and its implementation?
  
  Moderator
  Jia Wang, Interim Director, China Institute, University of Alberta, Edmonton
  
  Speakers
  Jiantuo Yu, Deputy Secretary General, China Development Research Foundation, Beijing
  
  Daniel Koldyk, Counsellor (Economics and Finance) and Chief Representative of the Department of Finance, Embassy of Canada to China, Beijing
  
  Peter Hall, Vice-President and Chief Economist, Export Development Canada, Ottawa
  Q&A with Jia Wang and Carlo Dade
  
  View speaker bios
  

• China’s Five-Year Plan | Trade in Agriculture
  Tuesday, May 11, 2021, 7:30-9:00 AM, MDT
  Register online.
  
  According to the latest Five-Year Plan, agricultural stability, food security and “agricultural modernization and self-sufficiency” continue to be a clear focus for China. Meanwhile, Canada continues to rely on China as an agricultural export destination, with agricultural exports accounting for 37% of total export to China in 2020 at an annual average grow rate of 16% over the last two decades. What elements in China’s latest Five-Year Plan may affect Western Canada’s trade in agriculture? What does the plan’s emphasis on increasing self-sufficiency and advanced agricultural technology capabilities mean for Canada’s agricultural commodities and technology industries? What are the implications of China’s new food security priorities for Western Canada?
  
  Moderator
  Sharon Zhengyang Sun, Trade Policy Economist, Canada West Foundation and Distinguished Fellow, Asia Pacific Foundation
  
  Speakers
  Motria Savaryn-Roy, Senior Economist, Export Development Canada, Ottawa
  
  Betti-Jo Ruston, Counsellor, Manager of the Agriculture, Agrifood and Fisheries Section, Trade Program, Embassy of Canada in Beijing
  
  A Q&A session held with Western Canadian Stakeholders:
  David Dzisiak, Chief Operating Officer, Botaneco Inc.
  
  Geoff Backman, Manager, Business Development and Markets, Alberta Wheat & Barley Commissions
  
  Cherilyn Nagel, Farmer, Speaker, Policy Advocate
  
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• China’s Five-Year Plan | Energy Targets and Climate Goals
  Wednesday, May 12, 2021, 8:00-9:30 AM, MDT
  Register online.
  
  China is the world’s largest consumer of energy, the largest producer and consumer of coal, and the largest emitter of carbon dioxide. What does its latest Five-Year Plan propose with respect to its energy and environment future in areas such as GHG emissions, carbon capture, clean technology? This session discusses some of China’s new objectives for environmental performance and the possible opportunities and risks for Canadian energy businesses under the new plan.
  
  Moderator
  Marla Orenstein, Director, Natural Resources Centre, Canada West Foundation
  
  Speakers
  Ralph J. Lutes, Executive Director and General Manager, Teck China and Vice President of Asia, Teck Resources Limited, CCBC Beijing Advisory Council Member, Beijing
  
  Robert Kwauk, Partner Emeritus, Blake, Cassels & Graydon LLP, CCBC Beijing Advisory Council Member, Beijing
  
  Michelle Jette, Trade Commissioner – Team Leader on Clean Tech, Forestry and Building Products, Trade Program, Embassy of Canada in Beijing
  
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• China’s Five-Year Plan | Service Industries
  Thursday, May 13, 2021, 7:00-8:15 AM, MDT
  Register online.
  
  What is China proposing with respect to education, tourism, and cultural industries in its new Five-Year Plan? How may its plan to grow domestic talent and encourage scientific research in areas such as biomedicine impact the Canadian education industry? How might China’s new FYP impact the Canadian tourism industry in a post-Covid-19 era?
  
  Moderator
  Robert J. Hanlon, Director, Canada and the Asia Pacific Policy Project, Associate Professor of Asian Politics and Human Security, Thompson Rivers University, Kamloops
  
  Speakers
  Wendy Therrien, Director, External Relations and Research, Universities Canada, Ottawa
  
  Justin Downes, President, Axis Leisure Management, CCBC Beijing Advisory Council Member, Beijing
  
  Sarah Gross, Trade Commissioner – Team Leader for Education, Trade Program, Embassy of Canada in Beijing
  
  Q&A with Professor Eugene Thomlinson, Director of the School of Tourism and Hospitality, at Royal Roads University
  
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• China's Five Year Plan | What Now?
  Thursday, May 13, 2021, 8:30-9:30 AM, MDT
  Register online.
  
  One key takeaway from China’s ambitious plan is the level of integration and coordination between China’s industries and all levels of government (from agriculture, manufacturing, service industry, energy resources and other industries) to facilitate its development and economic growth objectives. This symposium offers only a brief look at some of the key takeaways from the massive document for Western Canada. What do businesses in agriculture, energy, service industries and others, and the export and other support agencies that work with them, need to do next?
  
  The end of the symposium is only the beginning of the conversation as the Five-Year Plan moves towards implementation and we synthesize findings and prepare future events on how Western Canada can hedge its risks.
  
  Moderator
  Carlo Dade, Director, Trade and Investment Centre, Canada West Foundation
  
  Speakers
  Noah Fraser, Managing Director, China, Canada China Business Council & Canadian Chamber of Commerce in Beijing
  
  Margaret McCuaig-Johnston, Senior Fellow, Institute for Science, Society and Policy, University of Ottawa
  
  View speaker bios

China’s Latest Five-Year Plan: Insights for Western Canadian Trade has been organized by the Canada West Foundation, in partnership with the Canada China Business Council, China Institute at the University of Alberta, Canada and the Asia Pacific Policy Project at Thompson Rivers University, the Jack Austin Centre for Asia Pacific Business Studies at Simon Fraser University and World Trade Centre Winnipeg, with support from the Export Development Canada.