VICTORIA — Premier David Eby is set to visit Japan, Malaysia and South Korea early next month on a 10-day trade mission aimed at expanding and diversifying British Columbia’s export markets.
He’ll be joined by Agriculture Minister Lana Popham and Paul Choi, parliamentary secretary for Asia-Pacific trade.
Eby announced the trip Wednesday at a shipyard in Victoria, where workers were loading crates of frozen sablefish — 90 per cent of which, he said, was destined for Japan.
“As we’re under attack by the president of our largest trading partner, our relationship with overseas markets — the opportunity to expand those markets, to diversify those markets away from the United States — is more important than ever, and that’s what we’re going to do,” Eby said.
The premier sidestepped questions about whether the government has set specific metrics to gauge the success of the trade mission.
He said a key goal is to show respect to Asian companies B.C. already does business with, while also building new relationships to reduce reliance on both the U.S. and China.
Popham said it’s vital to highlight the stories of British Columbians who produce food for export.
“This trip is about ensuring there is resilience and growth of B.C. businesses in the face of economic uncertainties posed by the U.S. government,” she said.
Eby acknowledged that trading with overseas markets presents greater logistical challenges than trading with the United States, including language barriers and increased shipping costs.
“It’s impossible to replace the U.S. market at the end of the day,” he said, “but the [U.S.] president is forcing us into a position where we can’t see the U.S. in the same way.
“It’s harder to trade overseas … but what we’re doing as a government is trying to shrink that gap between British Columbia and the rest of the world to make it easier.”
Japan is B.C.’s third-largest trading partner, followed by South Korea. Together, the two countries account for 17 per cent of B.C.’s merchandise exports. The United States, by comparison, accounts for more than half, with China not far behind.
The mission begins June 1 in Tokyo.
