Richard Lee, Parliamentary Secretary for the Asia-Pacific Initiative of BC Province, Canada

Your Excellency Dominique de Villepin,

Honorable Governor Huang Xiaoxiang,

Distinguished guests,

Good morning!

This is my second time to participate in the International Cooperation Summit for Asia-Pacific CEOs & Provincial Governors and Mayors and first time in Chengdu City. The Canadian Government attaches great importance to one-to-one care, so the Canadian Red Cross is the largest donor among Western countries to the Sichuan earthquake. This results from the cooperation between international CEOs and local high-level leaders boosted by the Ministry of Commerce. We will pay close attention to the reconstruction and economic development of Sichuan.

Let me make a brief presentation of BC Province. BC Province is rich in resources, the largest coal-producing province and the second largest in natural gas production in Canada. BC enjoys convenient transportation and sound management systems, therefore full of business opportunities. Immediately after the earthquake in Sichuan, BC provincial government took actions to help China with the reconstruction of the quake-damaged facilities. We, in coordination with the Federal Government of Canada, donated timbers worth 8 million yuan to the disaster-stricken area, and also provided some technical assistance. BC Province has signed agreements with officials of Mianyang and Beichuan, covering programs such as building shelters for adults and children and a special school for children with disabilities in Mianyang, and establishing a nursing home in Beichuan, etc.

How should we fight the financial crisis? I believe the most effective way is to remove the global trade barriers. Governments of various countries need create more opportunities for common development and win-win situations. BC Province has taken active measures to counteract the impact of economic depression by announcing the tax cuts while the Federal Government of Canada is still studying the measures to cope with this financial storm. In addition, we have also increased investment in various kinds of infrastructure construction that can stimulate economic and trade growth, so we are likely to avoid the worst economic crisis this time. BC Province also plays an important role in the Pacific region which relies heavily on investments from Asia. It is a place of economic and cultural significance in North America, and it enjoys unique geographic advantages. Here we would like to promise our efforts in future cooperation. In 2010, Vancouver will be the host city for the Winter Olympic Games receiving friends from all over the world.

BC Province has a large number of leading companies as well as local private companies, and we have put in more than 20 billion Canadian dollars of clean energy fund to support projects of clean power technology. All in all, BC Province will rank among the world's top 25 financial centers, as we boasts lots of advantages such as well-educated labor force, favorable business environment, high-quality life, as well as a complete financial system. We sincerely wish to strengthen international cooperation with everyone present today. Thank you!