Minister day oversees new port agreement to attract Asia-Pacific gateway business

May 18, 2010

OTTAWA — The Honourable Stockwell Day, President of the Treasury Board and Minister for the Asia-Pacific Gateway, today witnessed the signing of an agreement between Winnipeg’s CentrePort Canada and Chongqing’s Cuntan Port in China. This agreement between the two inland ports will support increased trade and investment in Canada and China.

“Our government has made impressive gains in our commercial relationship with China in recent years. In fact, China is now Canada’s second-largest merchandise trading partner,” said Minister Day. “CentrePort Canada is one of the key projects our government has supported through the Asia-Pacific Gateway. Today’s announcement will make CentrePort Canada and the Asia-Pacific Gateway even more attractive to international business and investments.”
Under this agreement, both inland ports will work cooperatively on the following key priority areas:

1. Information exchange: Increase the exchange of information such as best practices to help us increase trade.
2. Promoting initiatives: Develop strategic partnerships to help raise awareness of activities in each port. This will help attract foreign investments on both sides of the Pacific.
3. Technology sharing: Share information on the latest scientific developments on the efficient and secure movement of goods throughout North America, Asia and beyond. This includes sharing green technologies.

“CentrePort Canada is proud to partner with the Cuntan Bonded Port Zone,” said Diane Gray, president and CEO of CentrePort Canada. “As inland ports located in the geographic centres of two significant trading countries, we share a lot of similarities. Working together, we can help create better global awareness of our respective operations, explore new and emerging business opportunities in one another’s markets and ensure we are continuing to enhance trade along the Asia-Pacific Gateway.”

CentrePort Canada is one of the key initiatives supported by the Government of Canada to enhance the competitiveness of Canadian business. It is a 20,000-acre inland port and trade area surrounding J.A. Richardson International Airport that provides efficient access to air, road and transcontinental rail transportation. Winnipeg’s strategic location, in the heart of the continent, is ideal for the manufacturing, warehousing and distribution of goods that are destined to and from the North American marketplace.
 
The Cuntan Bonded Port Zone is located in Lianglu, Chongqing. The port is at the centre of the economic belt of the upper Yangtze. It connects China’s western and eastern coasts, as well as its northern and southern regions. It is China’s first inland bonded port area and provides access to multi-modal transportation options, including air, rail, road and marine. It also has the transportation infrastructure necessary to move goods efficiently and affordably throughout Asia, North America and beyond.